1.On December 6， days before a deadline for WTO, members to decide 1.On December 6， days before a deadline for WTO, members to decide whether to expand the TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines to cover COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics as well, the Office of the USTR announced its support for an extension of the decision deadline to allow for further study and deliberation.2. In this regard, USTR announced the launch of a USITC investigation into the global market dynamics, price points, production and access of COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics.3. The USITC investigation will likely play a key role in shaping the U.S. position on whether to support the TRIPS waiver expansion. Indeed, this may also be one of the only outlets by whichU.S. and foreign stakeholders ― which include both foreign countries and companies ― can for-maUy voice their opinion with the U.S. government on the question of the waiver's expansion. We believe that the USITC will take these comments into serious consideration in crafting the findings in its report.
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