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US Secures World Stock of Key Covid-19 Drug Remdesivir
US Secures World Stock of Key Covid-19 Drug Remdesivir:
No other country will be able to buy remdesivir, which can help recovery from Covid-19, for next three months at least
The US has bought up virtually all the stocks for the next three months of one of the two drugs proven to work against Covid-19, leaving none for the UK, Europe or most of the rest of the world.
Experts and campaigners are alarmed both by the US unilateral action on remdesivir and the wider implications, for instance in the event of a vaccine becoming available. The Trump administration has already shown that it is prepared to outbid and outmanoeuvre all other countries to secure the medical supplies it needs for the US.
“They’ve got access to most of the drug supply [of remdesivir], so there’s nothing for Europe,” said Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University.
Remdesivir, the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19, is made by Gilead and has been shown to help people recover faster from the disease. The first 140,000 doses, supplied to drug trials around the world, have been used up. The Trump administration has now bought more than 500,000 doses, which is all of Gilead’s production for July and 90% of August and September.
US to buy 500,000 Remdesivir Coronavirus Treatment Courses at $2,340 Each
US to buy 500,000 remdesivir coronavirus treatment courses at $2,340 each:
The US Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to buy 500,000 remdesivir treatment courses, in the wake of clinical trials revealing the drug can help patients recover more quickly from the coronavirus. A five-day course will cost $2,340,or $3,120 for commercially insured patients, biotech firm Gilead Sciences said.
Early last month, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization for remdesivir to be used in cases of COVID-19 when patients were "hospitalized with severe disease," shortly after the drug showed "clear-cut positive effect" in a US trial.
[...] "To the extent possible, we want to ensure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a release.
[...] Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day addressed the higher price for private insurers, according to health site Stat, by noting that there are "always two prices" for a drug in the US. In an open letter, he acknowledged that the company's work on remdesivir is "far from done."
[...] He also said that countries in the developing world will get the drug at greatly reduced prices, through generic manufacturers.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by RamiK on Sunday July 05 2020, @10:19PM (17 children)
Good to see US dollars being spent to benefit American tax payers while bankrolling R&D and production of life saving medicine. Such a rare success for trickle-down economics that manages to spur nationalist competition and gets the EU and Asia to start funding their own medical research instead of just relying on generic out-of-date patents will do the world some good in the long run.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 05 2020, @10:22PM (2 children)
You don't need R&D when its not a new medicine.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 05 2020, @10:25PM (1 child)
You don't need patents when it's not a new medicine. Which is why the rest of the world gets it for $2.99 per course.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @01:54AM
Ah but does it come in patented easySwallow(c) coated capsules?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 05 2020, @10:39PM (6 children)
We had it too good. After WWII, we became too entitled. We became too stupid, because we still were able to make a decent living, even when dumb as rock.
Look at this parent clown - bought the big pharma's propaganda despite them spending majority of their money on marketing and lawyering rather than R&D, not to mention ignoring anything, however promising, unpatentable/cure - unpatentable (based on traditional medicine) won't give them monopoly, cure will be one-time shot and end of revenue stream.
Ramik might be a secret Chicom agent.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @01:56AM (1 child)
The only ones who did worse were everyone. I challenge you to imagine what goes on in other countries that makes them SO SHIT.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @08:18PM
Is it the American soldiers killing civilians? Is it the American corporations looting resources? Is it American-forced privatization making schools and water inaccessible to children? Is it a recent history of local warlord violence because of American-induced political instability? Is it American notions of patents which stop effective medicines from being cheaply produced? Hmm?
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Monday July 06 2020, @07:26PM (3 children)
I explicitly stated it's a "rare case" because 99% of the time trickle-down economics is a market and social failure, especially when it comes to US pharmaceuticals, insurance and/or patents/copyrights.
The first thing you're missing is that the drug is available in generic form so this is a tax-on-fools. The second thing you're missing is the impression it conveys to foreign nations is that the US will cut them off medicine/medical patents given the chance so they HAVE to invest in generics and R&D and limit the transfer of pharma IP and stocks to foreign nations which will, in turn, force the US pharma to start investing in R&D themselves or fall behind.
That is, where trickle-down economics usually fail the market, national interests during a scarcity crisis can bring-forth an exception.
What's the pay? Do I get dental? If shit-posting in obscure sites on boring topics pays the bills, sign me up! Hail glorious leader! Hail #insertYourNameHereForOnly99Cents!
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @11:18PM
"#insertYourNameHereForOnly99Cents!"
Liar. Everyone knows they pay you 50 cents per post.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Azuma Hazuki on Tuesday July 07 2020, @12:32AM (1 child)
This reminds me of Churchill's comment about how Americans will do the right thing after trying absolutely everything else first...and a number of observations about stopped clocks.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Wednesday July 08 2020, @06:36PM
Churchill's observation fell short by not taking into account that never-give-up, if-first-you-don't-succeed,-repeatedly-bash-your-head-against-the-wall American can-do spirit: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/were-paying-for-coronavirus-stimulus-by-printing-money.html [nymag.com]
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(Score: 5, Insightful) by c0lo on Sunday July 05 2020, @10:45PM (5 children)
LOL. Europe and China solved the problem [theguardian.com] by other means.
Really, do you think any of the 500,000 courses at $2,340 each is gonna trickle-down on you if you'll be unfortunate enough to need it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @12:30AM (4 children)
By lying? Do you for 1 second think China's numbers are reality? Or do you just want Trump to look bad? If it is the later maybe you should spend some time self reflecting who you are and what you really stand for.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @01:06AM
Gee, AC, did you even follow the link in the comment? The title is "Germany and France reopen borders as Europe emerges from lockdown".
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 06 2020, @06:06AM (1 child)
Not a matter of "want", just a matter of does! Trump has screwed the US over to the tune of 130,000 dead. 9/11 was only 3,000. Pearl Harbor, 2,403 Americans. Trump has overseen the death of more Americans than any President outside of World, or Civil, Wars. He just doesn't "look" bad, he is bad, very, very, bad. Death to the Republican party, for having foisted this imbecile upon the American people!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 08 2020, @06:10AM
"has screwed the US over to the tune of 130,000 dead"
so far, the political choices will result in real world fallout that is not even close to being done
(Score: 1) by Opportunist on Monday July 06 2020, @10:34AM
I can see for myself that Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia and a few more central European countries didn't have to fudge the numbers. They're through the mess. Yes, infections are slightly rising again in those countries that lifted the siege but we're talking about going from 500 infected to 800, not 500,000 to 800,000, and the cases are known and contained.
The US is up to its neck still inside the crap. Don't kid yourself just because infection levels are not rising anymore, that's a bit like saying you're fine because the flood ain't rising anymore but the water is still up to your roof.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Monday July 06 2020, @01:37PM
> gets the EU and Asia
Top 6 pharmaceuticals:
Pfizer - US
Novartis - Swiss
Roche - Swiss
Sanofi - French
Merck & Co. - US
GSK - UK
Admittedly Switzerland and UK are not part of EU, but I think you should be somewhat more careful