Lawmakers are asking the Trump administration to think of the nation's health, not Big Pharma. (Photo: AP)
Democrats Call on White House to Ensure Any Coronavirus Vaccine Is Not Profit-Making Venture for Big Pharma
"We cannot allow Big Pharma to price gouge the fruits of Americans investments."
Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky led 45 of her colleagues in demanding in a letter to President Donald Trump Thursday that any vaccine developed by the federal government for the coronavirus strain that broke out in December in China be kept "accessible and affordable" and not used as a source of profit for Big Pharma.
"Because of the millions YOU have invested into federal coronavirus research, a vaccine could be in initial clinical trials within 3 months," tweeted Schakowsky. "We cannot allow #BigPharma to price gouge the fruits of Americans' investments."
In their letter, Schakowsky and her colleagues express their concerns over licensing of the vaccine to pharmaceutical companies, a move that could jeopardize access to the potentially life-saving treatment.
"We urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) not to provide an exclusive license to any private manufacturer for a coronavirus vaccine or treatment in any government grants, contracts, or licensing arrangements," the members say in the letter.
"Providing exclusive monopoly rights could result in an expensive medicine that is inaccessible, wasting public resources and putting public health at risk in the United States and around the globe," the letter continues. "If HHS or any other federal agency moves forward with such a proposal, we urge you to instead issue a limited license and implement requirements that a vaccine or treatment be made available at an affordable price."
As Common Dreams reported on February 13, the potential for a worldwide pandemic has countries around the world working together to contain the outbreak. While the rate of infection has slowed, cases worldwide jumped by around 15,000 in the last week to roughly 75,000--mostly concentrated in mainland China.
Progressives applauded the letter.
"Coronavirus vaccines and treatments must be made available to all--not used by #BigPharma as yet another opportunity to profit at patients' expense," said advocacy group Social Security Works.
In a tweet, Congressional pressure group Indivisible said the organization was "proud" to stand alongside Schakowsky and her colleagues.
"Medicines, like the coronavirus vaccine, that are developed with public money should benefit public health, not create private profit for Big Pharma," the group said.
Trade union the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees praised the 46 lawmaker signatories for making a point to ask about the role of public investment in the vaccine's development.
"Why should the federal government give monopoly rights to the drug corporations for the coronavirus vaccine currently being developed with taxpayer dollars?" the union tweeted. "Glad some folks in Congress are asking that question."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just two days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky led 45 of her colleagues in demanding in a letter to President Donald Trump Thursday that any vaccine developed by the federal government for the coronavirus strain that broke out in December in China be kept "accessible and affordable" and not used as a source of profit for Big Pharma.
"Because of the millions YOU have invested into federal coronavirus research, a vaccine could be in initial clinical trials within 3 months," tweeted Schakowsky. "We cannot allow #BigPharma to price gouge the fruits of Americans' investments."
In their letter, Schakowsky and her colleagues express their concerns over licensing of the vaccine to pharmaceutical companies, a move that could jeopardize access to the potentially life-saving treatment.
"We urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) not to provide an exclusive license to any private manufacturer for a coronavirus vaccine or treatment in any government grants, contracts, or licensing arrangements," the members say in the letter.
"Providing exclusive monopoly rights could result in an expensive medicine that is inaccessible, wasting public resources and putting public health at risk in the United States and around the globe," the letter continues. "If HHS or any other federal agency moves forward with such a proposal, we urge you to instead issue a limited license and implement requirements that a vaccine or treatment be made available at an affordable price."
As Common Dreams reported on February 13, the potential for a worldwide pandemic has countries around the world working together to contain the outbreak. While the rate of infection has slowed, cases worldwide jumped by around 15,000 in the last week to roughly 75,000--mostly concentrated in mainland China.
Progressives applauded the letter.
"Coronavirus vaccines and treatments must be made available to all--not used by #BigPharma as yet another opportunity to profit at patients' expense," said advocacy group Social Security Works.
In a tweet, Congressional pressure group Indivisible said the organization was "proud" to stand alongside Schakowsky and her colleagues.
"Medicines, like the coronavirus vaccine, that are developed with public money should benefit public health, not create private profit for Big Pharma," the group said.
Trade union the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees praised the 46 lawmaker signatories for making a point to ask about the role of public investment in the vaccine's development.
"Why should the federal government give monopoly rights to the drug corporations for the coronavirus vaccine currently being developed with taxpayer dollars?" the union tweeted. "Glad some folks in Congress are asking that question."
Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky led 45 of her colleagues in demanding in a letter to President Donald Trump Thursday that any vaccine developed by the federal government for the coronavirus strain that broke out in December in China be kept "accessible and affordable" and not used as a source of profit for Big Pharma.
"Because of the millions YOU have invested into federal coronavirus research, a vaccine could be in initial clinical trials within 3 months," tweeted Schakowsky. "We cannot allow #BigPharma to price gouge the fruits of Americans' investments."
In their letter, Schakowsky and her colleagues express their concerns over licensing of the vaccine to pharmaceutical companies, a move that could jeopardize access to the potentially life-saving treatment.
"We urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) not to provide an exclusive license to any private manufacturer for a coronavirus vaccine or treatment in any government grants, contracts, or licensing arrangements," the members say in the letter.
"Providing exclusive monopoly rights could result in an expensive medicine that is inaccessible, wasting public resources and putting public health at risk in the United States and around the globe," the letter continues. "If HHS or any other federal agency moves forward with such a proposal, we urge you to instead issue a limited license and implement requirements that a vaccine or treatment be made available at an affordable price."
As Common Dreams reported on February 13, the potential for a worldwide pandemic has countries around the world working together to contain the outbreak. While the rate of infection has slowed, cases worldwide jumped by around 15,000 in the last week to roughly 75,000--mostly concentrated in mainland China.
Progressives applauded the letter.
"Coronavirus vaccines and treatments must be made available to all--not used by #BigPharma as yet another opportunity to profit at patients' expense," said advocacy group Social Security Works.
In a tweet, Congressional pressure group Indivisible said the organization was "proud" to stand alongside Schakowsky and her colleagues.
"Medicines, like the coronavirus vaccine, that are developed with public money should benefit public health, not create private profit for Big Pharma," the group said.
Trade union the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees praised the 46 lawmaker signatories for making a point to ask about the role of public investment in the vaccine's development.
"Why should the federal government give monopoly rights to the drug corporations for the coronavirus vaccine currently being developed with taxpayer dollars?" the union tweeted. "Glad some folks in Congress are asking that question."