Biden's TRIPS Waiver Decision Is A Transformative, Hopeful Event

The following statement is attributable to Jeff Hauser, Executive Director of the Revolving Door Project:

"The Biden administration's decision to support waiving intellectual property restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines is a genuinely transformative event, one which reinforces that there is real reason to hope for a better future when the right people are in place in the federal government. The Revolving Door Project praises and congratulates the Biden administration for this excellent decision. This one choice may save millions of lives."

"In particular, we want to praise U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai for handling the first big political conflict of her tenure with grace and professionalism, as the administration ultimately worked toward the right call. We may not know exactly how the administration came to this decision for quite some time, but Tai's ability to face down the well-funded and powerful pharmaceutical interests fighting against this waiver without fear shows that she was a perfect choice for this crucial job. Again, appointments matter. Personnel is policy."

"We will closely watch the inevitable conflicts during the text-based negotiations at the World Trade Organization. But this initial decision is one which Americans and onlookers around the world should celebrate."