For Biden, vaccine patent waiver is a test of US leadership

True leadership often involves making hard choices. President Biden’s support for a vaccine patent waiver received mixed reviews. But it signaled a U.S. intent to return to global moral leadership.

When asked during a July 2020 one-on-one campaign event with public health activist Ady Barkan if he supported sharing COVID-19 vaccine technology with the developing world, presidential candidate Joe Biden didn’t hestitate.

“Absolutely, positively,” Mr. Biden responded. “This is the only humane thing in the world to do.”

At the time, his unequivocal response staked out the moral high ground...