'Taking Taxpayers for a Ride': Moderna to Charge $32-$37/Dose for Covid-19 Vaccine Developed Entirel
Published on
Wednesday, August 05, 2020
by Common Dreams
'Taking Taxpayers for a Ride': Moderna to Charge $32-$37/Dose for Covid-19 Vaccine Developed Entirely With Public Funds
"It ought to be the people's vaccine, not a new taxpayer burden."
by Jake Johnson, staff writer
Consumer advocates warned Wednesday that pharmaceutical giant Moderna is "taking taxpayers for a ride" after the company announced plans to charge between $32 and $37 per dose for a potential Covid-19 vaccine developed entirely with funds from the U.S. federal government.
"Taxpayers are paying for 100% of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine development. All of it," Peter Maybarduk, director of the Access to Medicines Program at Public Citizen, said in a statement. "Yet taxpayers may wind up paying tens of billions more to Moderna to buy our vaccine back, if it proves safe and effective."
"The so-called Moderna vaccine belongs in significant part to the people of the U.S," said Maybarduk. "We paid for it. Federal scientists led the way. It ought to be the people's vaccine, not a new taxpayer burden."
The experimental vaccine is currently undergoing a Phase 3 clinical trial that is expected to enroll around 30,000 adult volunteers who do not have Covid-19, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Trial results are expected as early as October.
More:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/08/05/taking-taxpayers-ride-moderna-charge-32-37dose-covid-19-vaccine-developed-entirely
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)issues in development, production, etc., testing costs, etc.? And, its not even approved yet.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,063 posts)AmyStrange
(7,989 posts)-
you can figure out the rest, but thank you,
bullitra
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Fortunately, others are developing vaccines, well see if they charge less than $35.
Consider price of Flu vaccine, mumps, shingles, etc.
AmyStrange
(7,989 posts)-
what exactly are they basing that price on since they've got nothing to show for it?
"Hey, you, I've got the cure for this Covid crap somewhere up in my head, but I'll need 35$ from everybody before I'll give it to you."
"Why 35 dollars?"
"I'm not sure yet, but my lawyer says that's what it'll cost for all the lawsuits that are sure to follow."
"Your lawyer?!"
"Yeah, I owe him big time. He's kept me out of jail more times than I can even count, and plus, he knows Trump!"
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)vaccine costs $35, we could vaccinate everyone in US for less than $12 Billion, plus some administration fee.
Considering the lives, etc., saved, thats a bargain. And, theres no reason the cost cant be negotiated downwards when the time comes and several vaccines are in the running.
BTW: If trump personally developed and paid for it, I still wouldnt vote for him. Dont believe others would either.
AmyStrange
(7,989 posts)-
he kind of is the head of the government (tongue in cheek) and the government did pay for this, so in a weird kind of way...
Anyway, one thing I would like to know is who actually ends up getting this 12 billion dollars?
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)of development, distribution, regulatory compliance, etc. The company existed before, had already done research, etc.
The $483 million was probably more for access, quicker ramping up, etc. We invested even more in other companies.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-16/moderna-snares-483-million-u-s-funding-for-covid-vaccine-tests
AmyStrange
(7,989 posts)-
welcome to the club!
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Squinch
(50,774 posts)So far, they haven't made a vaccine and there is no reason to believe they will.
AmyStrange
(7,989 posts)-
what exactly are they basing this price on to begin with?
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NotANeocon
(423 posts)If the corporate sector are going to take taxpayer money to operate then the provider of the capital deserves dividends just like any investor -
Corporate socialism can't go only one way.