This archive report was first published on 8 May 2021.
Pope Francis has added his voice to the global call for equitable access to coronavirus vaccines, urging the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights to boost supply to poorer countries.
Speaking in a video message to the 'Vax Live' concert, the Argentine pontiff condemned the 'virus of individualism' that makes us indifferent to the suffering of others.
He also criticized 'closed nationalism' and the prioritization of market laws and intellectual property over the laws of love and humanity.
Francis' comments come after the United States announced its surprise support for a global waiver on patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines, a move fiercely opposed by major drugmakers.
On May 8, 2021, Pope Francis made these remarks in a video message to the 'Vax Live' concert, which aimed to urge faster and more equitable global vaccinations.
