The United States, European Union, India and South Africa have decided to compromise property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines.

A tentative agreement among the four World Trade Organization (WTO) members still requires formal approval from the parties. Any agreement must be accepted by the WTO’s 164 member countries to be adopted. The document authorises the use of “patented subject matter needed to produce and supply Covid-19 vaccines without the right holder to address the Covid-19 pandemic”.

It said IP rights would also be waived for ingredients and processes necessary for Covid-19 vaccine manufacture, especially for advanced mRNA-type vaccines.