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Statement on the US Refusing To Join the WHO's Global COVID Vaccine Efforts

Statement from Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, on the news that the US is refusing to join the WHO's global COVID vaccine efforts:

WASHINGTON

Statement from Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, on the news that the US is refusing to join the WHO's global COVID vaccine efforts:

The only way to beat a global pandemic is to get it under control everywhere, and that means we need vaccines that are safe, affordable and accessible to everyone. Instead of listening to public health experts about how to respond to a global pandemic, President Trump has repeatedly put politics ahead of our health, resulting in over 180,000 deaths and an economy in shambles.

In the face of such a massive crisis, we should be bringing together the best minds and resources from around the world to make sure that we're doing everything we can to get the pandemic under control. And that includes working with other nations to develop safe, affordable and accessible vaccines that benefit people around the world. Rather than build on our nation's long legacy of leadership when it comes to public health and global crisis, President Trump has politicized our scientific agencies, embraced racist and xenophobic tropes, and defaulted to his go-it-alone approach, leaving the United States isolated and alienated from the rest of the world.

Lower Drug Prices Now brings together a broad array of state and national partners to fight for transformative policy change that will finally ensure everyone has access to affordable medicine whether they have a sore throat, high blood pressure or an acute illness like cancer.