This approach was tried in the past century, and what ends up happening is a bunch of IP paperwork but no one willing to do the work. It’s an interesting tragedy of the commons in terms of the game theory.

Otherwise, the person that figures out the hard work of scale up is the only one that doesn’t benefit, because the only winner is the fast follower. Governments don’t work nights and weekend to scale industrial supply chains (hint: because they can print money).

It was funded by US taxpayer money, and therefore the US had and has priority access to the vaccine.

Socialized losses, private gains

With Americans maybe. $0 from South African taxpayer money went to fund it, South Africa (and every other country) has 0 rights to it and get nothing. They pay if they want access.

They were funded by US taxpayer money. How does that create obligations to the people of South Africa?

Yes. Development of its vaccine started in 2018 when we lifted the gain of function moratorium during the Trump administration.

That wasn't part of the deal.