U.S. secures 300 million doses of potential AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

BUSINESS NEWS MAY 21, 2020 / 2:13 AM / UPDATED 38 MINUTES AGO

U.S. secures 300 million doses of potential AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Aakash B, Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton
6 MIN READ

BENGALURU/LONDON (Reuters) - The United States has secured almost a third of the first 1 billion doses planned for AstraZeneca’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine by pledging up to $1.2 billion, as world powers scramble for medicines to get their economies back to work.

While not yet proven to be effective against the coronavirus, vaccines are seen by world leaders as the only real way to restart their stalled economies, and even to get an edge over global competitors.

After President Donald Trump demanded a vaccine, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed to provide up to $1.2 billion to accelerate British drugmaker AstraZeneca’s vaccine development and secure 300 million doses for the United States.

“This contract with AstraZeneca is a major milestone in Operation Warp Speed’s work toward a safe, effective, widely available vaccine by 2021,” U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said. The first doses could be available in the United States as early as October, according to a statement from HHS.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astrazeneca/u-s-secures-300-million-doses-of-potential-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-idUSKBN22X0J9

[roamer65]

1. I can see this starting a war.

[Igel]

4. AstraZeneca has production and research facilities in the US.

People get bent out of shape over the idea of sending ventilators from the US abroad. How much more if a corporation in the US produced vaccine and then shipped the entire first production run overseas?

They have a variety of production sites in Europe and Asia, as well. Once they can produce it in one place, they can produce it elsewhere. (And since they have a site in China, as soon as their China site knows how to produce it, the Chinese government can ramp up production of its new surprise proprietary vaccine worked on in secret.)

[roamer65]

9. Hopefully they produce worldwide.

[Celerity]

17. French Drugmaker Sparks Outrage In France By Asserting U.S. Would Receive Covid-19 Vaccine First

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/05/14/french-drugmaker-sparks-outrage-in-france-by-asserting-us-would-receive-covid-19-vaccine-first/#696c84a67ced

The CEO of French drug giant Sanofi suggested Wednesday that the company plans to give the United States early access to any Covid-19 vaccine it develops, which angered government officials in France and led to President Emmanuel Macron indicating he plans to meet with company officials, who have already begun to walk back the incendiary comments.

[Newest Reality]

2. Why?

Why do I see this as largely a campaign move for Trumposaurus Wrecks?

It sounds like a mere pitch for a potential future vaccine, so having x doses means nothing until after the clinical trials which may or may not be successful and may or may not have serious side effects.

This seems premature and exaggerated, plus, the company gets a shares boost. Deal?

[misanthrope]

12. Bingo

It's all optics.

[Beartracks]

3. Republicans won't care if this unproven drug works. They just want to SAY it works...

... and that Trump got it for us.

Another in a long line of fake, manufactured, look-at-me "Mission Accomplished" moments.

==============

[jaysunb]

5. Another stock scam. Nt

[Beartracks]

7. Does kinda make you wonder: who's connected to AstraZeneca

[Beartracks]

6. Wait, why? I thought hydroxychloroquine was the answer!!

============

[struggle4progress]

8. Up next: "Company founded this May wins $1.5 billion government contract for Corona Bongo Drums.

Trump calls drums a game-changer, asks supporters to beat bongos to re-open economy"

Many people are saying this works. Many many people. Thev're tried it in Loving County. In Texas. And you know what? Most people don't know this. No cases there yet. Because of the bongos, I think

[Steelrolled]

10. Looks like we are backing all of the horses

I would not trust anyone completely when 1.2 billion dollars are on the table, but it sounds like the Oxford work has great promise. Might be a race between them and Moderna. Hopefully one of the works.

[misanthrope]

13. Until trials are completed, this is pointless

Actually, it's detrimental because now it has used resources that could have been put toward something that is actually beneficial.

[Steelrolled]

14. 1.2 billion is a huge amount of money for Oxford and drug manufacturers

but truly a drop in the bucket for the US government - to me it is a good deal. This should be done for every company or university that has a legitimate shot at developing a vaccine.

[Celerity]

16. In 2019, just the top ten biomedical firms have well over half a trillion (517bn) USD in revenue.

Counting some who have reported Q1 2020 revenue (and some have not even announced Q4 2019 revenue yet), the top 30 have over 1 trillion USD (1.037)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_biomedical_companies_by_revenue

[misanthrope]

11. Why not just rake the money into a big pile and burn it?

This was worse than useless.

[Steelrolled]

15. Isn't the Oxford vaccine is one of the front runners?

[misanthrope]

18. Being a "front runner" is a long way from having a vaccine

If that research comes to a dead end (which is a strong likelihood at this point), that money is just gone. Those funds could have paid for PPE or other useful medical expenses needed right now.

[Steelrolled]

19. I think it is money well spent

Frankly, a 1.2 billion is nothing to the US government (and note that it says "up to 1.2 billion" which means the money is paid in stages as progress is demonstrated). Money is one thing the US government can contribute.

And I don't think the issues with PPE shortages is money. We can pay for both.