Pope Francis backs call for waiving patents on Covid-19 vaccines

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<strong>Pope Francis has backed the call for waiving patents on coronavirus vaccines to enable poorer countries gain access to the doses, in a video message to the "Vax Live" concert.</strong></p>
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The Argentine pontiff came out strongly in favour of "universal access to the vaccine and the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights" in the recording.</p>
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The Pope, who has repeatedly spoken of the need to share vaccines, condemned the "virus of individualism" that "makes us indifferent to the suffering of others".</p>
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"A variant of this virus is closed nationalism, which prevents, for example, an internationalism of vaccines," he said.</p>
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"Another variant is when we put the laws of the market or intellectual property above the laws of love and the health of humanity."</p>
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His comments come after the United States announced its surprise support for a global waiver on patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines.</p>
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The move is fiercely opposed by pharma giants such as Pfizer and Moderna who are eyeing huge profits from the sale of vaccines.</p>
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Britain's Prince Harry and pop royalty including Jennifer Lopez were among those who took part in "Vax Live: The Concert To Reunite The World", to urge faster and more equitable global vaccinations.</p>