�������ýҕ�l

More than two dozen of the largest pharmaceutical companies are urging President Biden to reject a proposal before the World Trade Organization to temporarily waive patent rights in order to widen access to Covid-19 medical products to mostly low-income countries. In a March 5 letter, the drug makers argue that, contrary to assertions, intellectual property is not a barrier to ensuring that vaccines and therapies become available on a global basis. Along with their trade groups, the companies also maintained that eliminating intellectual property protection to allow other manufacturers to make certain products would not speed production or access. (Silverman, 3/8)

A Swiss biotech company will manufacture Russia's "Sputnik V" COVID-19 vaccine in facilities across Italy, the firm announced Monday. Bloomberg News reported that Adienne Pharma & Biotech announced a deal with Russia's sovereign wealth fund, the RDIF, to begin production near Milan. The company aims to have several million doses manufactured by the end of 2021, pending Italian regulatory approval. (Bowden, 3/8)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife have tested positive for Covid-19, the Syrian presidency said in a statement Monday. The president and his wife, Asma al-Assad, were tested for the coronavirus after they felt "mild symptoms," according to the statement, which confirmed that the test came back positive. (Smith and Omar, 3/8)

Pope Francis responded to public-health concerns about his trip to Iraq by saying he had considered the dangers, but ultimately trusted in God to protect Iraqis. Several events during the pope’s visit to Iraq, which included a Mass with 10,000 people in a soccer stadium, drew crowds of people with widespread flouting of rules on social-distancing and mask-wearing. Apart from the Mass, some gatherings formed as Iraqis tried to get a glimpse of the pontiff. (Rocca, 3/8)

The candor Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, displayed while discussing suicidal ideation during Sunday night’s interview with Oprah Winfrey helped open the door for conversations about race and mental health, experts say. Meghan revealed that she struggled with thoughts of self-harm and sought help amid tabloid headlines that she and her husband, Prince Harry, described as “character assassination.” The couple both expressed that the pressure of royal life had a harmful effect on their mental health, ultimately leading to them stepping back from their duties as senior members of the monarchy. (Madani, 3/8)