From the BBC:
The US has thrown its support behind a move at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to temporarily lift patent protections for coronavirus vaccines.
Advocates of the move say it would increase global vaccine production, but drugs manufacturers argue it will not have the desired effect. Critics say it strips financial rewards from cutting-edge drug developers.
Hang on, didn't President Trump pay you $10 billion to develop the vaccines? At whose risk and expense was that? You are also earning $20 or $30 a pop for the hundreds of millions of doses that the self-same US government is buying from you. And the further hundreds of millions which you hope "rich countries" will buy off you at full price and distribute to the developing world (see below).
The head of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, Thomas Cueni, told the BBC's Today programme that technology transfer should not be enforced.
"I'm deeply concerned if you hand this over and allow companies to try to get it done the right way, safe and high quality, you could compromise the quality and safety of vaccines which we see now and it would be disruptive."
Well, he would say that wouldn't he? Does he mean that they are nobly saving lives in the developing world by preventing them from making their own vaccines? He's earned a "that's racist" as well.
"And it is also right now the disappointing unwillingness of rich countries to early share doses with the poor countries."
I'd shut up right now if I were him.
... pharmaceutical companies have called the decision by the US to back the sharing of secret recipes for vaccinations short-sighted, claiming it is understanding the production process that is the real challenge, particularly when it comes to the new breed of mRNA vaccines - such as Pfizer and Moderna - as well as the availability of raw materials. It is, they say, akin to handing out a recipe without sharing the method or the ingredients...
If it's the know-how that matters, why are they objecting to waiving the patent protection?
Viewer drought
19 minutes ago
5 comments:
You have to wonder who they think they are kidding.
B, it's like the home builders.
Their PR people insist that they are not land banking.
The finance departments say in their accounts that land banking is the most important and profitable part of their activities. Actually building and selling houses is just like withdrawing money from the bank. You don't earn money by making withdrawals, you earn money by getting interest - the land price gains are like the "interest" they actually earn.
I have a client in the drug trade if you see what I mean. her company and others are more than a little not gruntled by the was Doris & Co went about getting virus things underway. She thinks they gave stuff to their mates.
FWIW I do think that when freeing up the patent it is also important to get the actual manufacturing process right. You need both the successfully make the drugs. to that end the quoted pundit is right. So the question could then be 'Well, righty ho. What will it cost to get you out their sorting out their production then?"
L, they certainly did. Blair became PM after a years long concerted program of wildly exaggerating "Tory sleaze". Things are now far worse than Blair's wildest exaggerations, but where's the bloody opposition shouting about it?
Agreed, you need both. That's not really an excuse.
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