The Trump administration has bought the entire stock of Gilead Science's Remdesivir, the drug shown to reduce recovery times for people suffering from coronavirus, leaving none for the rest of the world.
The Guardian reports: “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. … Buying up the world's supply of remdesivir is not just a reaction to the increasing spread and death toll. The US has taken an ‘America first' attitude throughout the global pandemic.”
Said HHS Secretary Alex Azar: “President Trump has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorised therapeutic for Covid-19. To the extent possible, we want to ensure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it. The Trump administration is doing everything in our power to learn more about life-saving therapeutics for Covid-19 and secure access to these options for the American people.”
On Monday, Gilead announced the price for remdesivir, CNBC reports: “Gilead Sciences announced Monday the much-anticipated pricing for its coronavirus treatment remdesivir, saying it will cost hospitals $3,120 for a typical U.S. patient with commercial insurance. … The drugmaker said it will sell remdesivir for $390 per vial to governments ‘of developed countries' around the world, and the price for U.S. private insurance companies will stand at $520 per vial. In the U.S., that means Gilead will charge a lower price for government programs and a higher price for private insurers.”
