We’ve all seen the inequities in US health care in the availability of testing and the rationing of Remdesivir for regular folks, while Trump, Christie, Juliani jump right to the front, and I expect that we’ll see the wealthy or otherwise special jump ahead in the vaccination line also. (NBA players, coaches, officials get vaccinated well before the Phase 2 folks). Did Operation WARP speed, which gave Vaccine makers guaranteed money for a set number of doses well in advance of proof of efficacy and safety to speed up the process at Government risk of wasted investment also forbid Pfizer, Moderna etc from selling part of their production on the private market until the US government early guaranteed purchase was fulfilled or even beyond that to extend throughout the emergency use authorization period? If so, bravo for the attempt to enforce equity and have the vaccine really distributed according to CDC guidelines. If not, then the Fed’s are going to get their 100 million doses more slowly and Pfizer will manage to sell some of their production to highest bidders right away.
Warp Speed didn’t fund any of the Pfizer development, AFAIK. We just ordered a set number of doses. They’re delivering their product to a bunch of countries that ordered as well, so we don’t get the first 100 million doses. We’re getting deliveries along side of England, Canada, the EU, Switzerland, Japan, and probably several other countries. A similar situation is set up with Moderna.
I’ve posted before that I’m surprised at the lack of information re: the economics related to the vaccine. Who is paying? Who is profiting? But no one around here has seemed terribly interested in discussing.
This morning’s paper had a somewhat superficial article discussing the availability to rich vs poor nations through WHO’s COVAX.
Did it mention that the United States isn’t signed on to COVAX?
Withdrawn