What it means to waive vaccine patent rights

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Shelby Livingston, and I cover how healthcare is paid for and delivered in the US for the Insider healthcare team. Today in healthcare news:

• The Biden administration wants to waive coronavirus vaccine patent rights, but experts say the move isn't likely to boost vaccine production;
• COVID-19 booster shots probably won't cause worse side effects than the original vaccines;
• What parents and teens need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine.

If you're new to this newsletter, sign up here.

Do you have comments or tips about health insurers or healthcare providers? Email me at slivingston@insider.com or tweet @ShelbyJLiv.

Global leaders want to override COVID-19 vaccine patents to boost production. It probably isn't going to work.

• The Biden administration has thrown its support behind an effort to waive coronavirus vaccine patent rights.
• The hope is that it will allow other companies to make their own versions of established COVID-19 vaccines.
• But many of the tricks to making Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines aren't found in patents, experts say.

Catch up on the latest here>>

Booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine probably won't cause worse side effects than the original vaccines, experts predict

• COVID-19 boosters are expected later this year.
• It's too early to say for sure what side effects to expect.
• But experts predict they won't be much worse than the original COVID-19 vaccines.

Read the full story>>

What teenagers and parents need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine, from side effects to dosing, according to experts

• Kids aged 12 to 15 may be able to get their COVID-19 vaccines as early as next week.
• Young people have robust immune systems, so teens should prepare for side effects.
• If your child wants to return to school, play sports, and see their friends, get ready to book their shot.
  

Find out more>>

More stories we're reading today:

• People are getting 'COVID nails,' and one expert says the unusual lines could be as useful as an antibody test to prove previous infection (Insider)
• Covid Testing Has Turned Into a Financial Windfall for Hospitals and Other Providers (Kaiser Health News)
• Nearly one million people signed up for Obamacare coverage this spring. (The New York Times)
• When I get slammed with surprise medical bills, a single phone call helps me save hundreds (Insider)
• Pfizer and BioNTech are filing for full approval of their COVID-19 vaccine with the FDA (Insider)

- Shelby