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May 6, 2021

Could vaccines go open-source?

In a major switch, the Biden administration is joining other countries to try to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines. Plus, a pandemic milestone for weekly jobless claims, and it’s a positive one. Also, test-driving new sources for the rubber that goes into making tires. And, the Biden administration is now rolling back a Trump-era rule change that would have made it easier for companies to classify gig workers as independent contactors.

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Could vaccines go open-source? — Alex Wong/Getty Images

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Segments From This Episode

U.S. backs waiving patent protections for COVID vaccines
by David Brancaccio and Kristin Schwab
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Changing international property rules requires unanimous agreement from nations that are part of the World Trade Organization.
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We're finally seeing less than 500,000 initial weekly jobless claims
The labor market is trending the right way in the U.S. “It’s finally moving in the right direction consistently,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton. “It looks like momentum is really sticking this time.” Swonk said we’re also expecting strong numbers for Friday’s report on April hiring and unemployment data. She expects the U.S. economy added over 700,000 jobs, “but we could easily exceed 1 million.”
Tiremakers are test-driving new plant-based sources for rubber
by Daniel Ackerman
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
The industry’s push to diversify its supply of natural rubber is spurring research into desert shrubs and dandelions.
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Biden administration sends a signal about gig workers with rule rollback
by Meghan McCarty Carino
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
The Labor Department blocked a Trump-era change that would’ve made it easier to classify gig workers as independent contractors.
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