Trump administration says the coronavirus vaccine might not be affordable for all Americans
Source: Business Insider
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday declined to promise that a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable for all Americans.
"We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest," Azar told members of Congress during a hearing concerning the coronavirus outbreak and the administration's budget request. "Price controls won't get us there."
Democrats and other critics quickly condemned Azar.
"Secretary Azar is refusing to promise that a Coronavirus vaccine will be affordable to every American. Kick them out of office," Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat, tweeted Wednesday evening.
The progressive group Center for American Progress tweeted, "This is a global health crisis, and everyone should have the right to medication that will help protect them from this virus."
/snip
Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administration-says-coronavirus-vaccine-may-not-be-affordable-2020-2
A culling?
sheshe2
(83,319 posts)Yes.
Response to Tom Yossarian Joad (Original post)
doc03 This message was self-deleted by its author.
not fooled
(5,791 posts)Says red don, gleeful at the prospect of eliminating some useless eaters.
If a Dem president said such a thing, the QAnon-type crazies would be bellowing about a conspiracy to kill off 'Muricans.
Wuddles440
(1,098 posts)that many of those QAnon cultist are the very ones that will lack the necessary financial resources to purchase such a vaccine. Of course, most would probably be more than willing to sacrifice themselves for Dear Leader anyway.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)rushed to market, would be worth a lot of money. Government, insurers, life insurance companies, healthcare profiteers, etc., would just have to kick in a reasonable amount through taxes or whatever.
keithbvadu2
(36,360 posts)Don't worry! The 'right' kind of people will be covered.
mpcamb
(2,854 posts)Midnightwalk
(3,131 posts)I want that ad.
Immoral leech telling us some companies profit is more important than controlling a pandemic.
Most people cant afford to self quarantine either.
I know the vaccine isnt expected to start human trials until April but what an example of how much rich people are ready to fuck us over.
NBachers
(16,998 posts)Flaleftist
(3,473 posts)Nonhlanhla
(2,074 posts)Thanks Grover...
elleng
(130,126 posts)'"We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest," Azar told members of Congress during a hearing concerning the coronavirus outbreak and the administration's budget request. "Price controls won't get us there."
Democrats and other critics quickly condemned Azar.
"Secretary Azar is refusing to promise that a Coronavirus vaccine will be affordable to every American. Kick them out of office," Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat, tweeted Wednesday evening.'
Flaleftist
(3,473 posts)(7 paragraphs down)......But the government has a potentially powerful safety valve at its disposal to counteract outrageous pricing by the pharmaceutical industry. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1498 (Section 1498), the federal government has the power to use or manufacture any patented product, and must provide only reasonable compensation to the patent holder. The government could therefore elect to either contract with another manufacturer to produce a cheap generic version of expensive patented drugs. Or it could use the threat of Section 1498 to negotiate a license from the brand-name manufacturer to use their drugs at a steep discount.
https://www.peoplespolicyproject.org/2017/10/02/the-government-can-legally-commandeer-drug-patents/
Duppers
(28,094 posts)Thanks!
applegrove
(118,006 posts)you will get sick. And you are already pretty poor. And maybe pretty Democratic.
Blackjackdavey
(177 posts)Everyone has access to healthcare coverage, especially poor people. It is the... resolute, rugged individualists, independent contractors and business owners, etc. who don't have coverage and who are most likely to be unable to afford the medicine. Therefore, this administration will indeed find a way for them to afford it. They just may not know that yet.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,746 posts)And we're probably a couple of years away from one.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Which basically amounts to ... if you're poor, you're fucked, nothing the gov't can do cause profits don't you know!
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)It was developed by a biomedical company in MA based on the virus' DNA sequence that was released by the Chinese researchers.
DallasNE
(7,392 posts)The oral Sabin polio vaccine was free for everyone. What has changed?
Warpy
(110,900 posts)That's what changed.
Aussie105
(5,211 posts)it would be cheaper to prevent polio than to have large numbers of permanently crippled people sucking up the welfare budget.
So it was free.
Personal note: Adopted daughter came from Vietnam at the end of the 'Nam war. She has a polio crippled leg that stopped growing.
Many operations as she grew to adulthood to correct blood flow in her crippled leg, permanent caliper to help her walk, now on permanent disability pension. Costs picked up by the Australian Government over those decades since the 'Nam war, no questions asked.
Such an Evil Socialist Government, here in Australia, right?
Corona virus vaccine will be the same. Cheaper to vaccinate rather than deal with the other possible outcome.
People dropping dead in the middle of the street is not a good look on the evening news.
Of course, in a society that is focused on social equity and fairness and on a government doing the best for it's citizens, it would be assumed it would be free, or very heavily subsidized by the government.
durablend
(7,414 posts)"Cheaper to vaccinate rather than deal with the other possible outcome.
People dropping dead in the middle of the street is not a good look on the evening news."
"You're not seeing people dying in the street--all fake news to make the president look bad"
(that's assuming they report it at all)
Javaman
(62,435 posts)Warpy
(110,900 posts)Wait until he runs out of hamberders and Diet Coke.
Asshole. If nobody makes a buck, they're not interested. The words "public health" are meaningless to them.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)Aussie105
(5,211 posts)would a talking head seriously mention something that amounts to ethnic cleansing. (Just substitute 'ethnic' with 'poor', there.)
Indykatie
(3,691 posts)We need a bill to guarantee the vaccine is provided to the uninsured at no cost. Anyone with Medicaid, Employer Insurance, market place plans etc will get the vaccine free thanks to Obamacare that mandated all Vaccines be covered at 100% by ALL health plans.
Apple Fritter
(131 posts)Trump with feel the full pressure of the economy breaking or stalling to a complete halt if normal citizens can't get vaccine for themselves or their loved ones. Schools and transportation will shut down and then everything will have a trickle down effect. Hell if Silicon valley had an outbreak that could crash the world economy on it's own.
I mean all this could happen , but at what point do we all go outside to protest if most of us are sick?
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)who has no known contacts. Read this post...
https://www.democraticunderground.com/104022402
PSPS
(13,512 posts)Translation: "We want to maintain that campaign contribution money-laundering channel. The more profit they make, the more they "contribute" to our PAC's."
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)I have almost no immune system and have the ACA with tax credits. I have to not only think about my two permanent, no cure illnesses but also how I am going to pay for the treatment AND still be able to pay my bills. If lose the ACA I might as well be dead (honestly). The fucking moron would love to see me and others who are in my situation shrivel up and die. They do not care. Period.
BootinUp
(46,924 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)BootinUp
(46,924 posts)C Moon
(12,188 posts)SunSeeker
(51,367 posts)It won't be available any time soon for any price.
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)which says that a potential vaccine has already been shipped to NIH for testing.
https://news.yahoo.com/buzzy-biotech-moderna-looking-options-145700305.html
While the NIH prepares to start that study, Moderna executives said they are "looking at all options" to boost manufacturing capabilities. The buzzy biotech, which went public in 2018, has been solely focused on research.
SunSeeker
(51,367 posts)I hope he's wrong and we get the vaccine before the next winter season, but I think Fauci knows what he's talking about.
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)is true? I also tend to think when a top official answers a question like this, they tend to err on the safe side which here would be the standard timeline. What if this doc said one could be available in few months and it wasn't? Trump's so mercurial, the doc could be out a job in a nanosecond. His response strikes me as "better safe than sorry".
If this is a big a crisis as everyone seems to believe, the usual testing and approval process will be fast-tracked. IIRC, there was just another drug for a type of lymphoma that expedited to market because it was proving successful in trials. That's what will happen with this drug, too, if it proves successful.
OfTheBottom99Percent
(47 posts)And now the ghoulish leader of 2/3's of the government of the country which may have been the planet's best chance of an influence to shepherd us out of the mess we've collectively made is as dumb as box of hammers.
Oh me oh my...
progree
(10,864 posts)"them"? "them"?? "them"???
Jesus Fucking Christ, it protects all of us when everyone is vaccinated.
The reason we want to be sure that the poor are vaccinated is not some sort of bleeding heart liberal charitable impulse to help the poor, but rather to be sure that we stomp this thing out so that none of us -- poor or non-poor -- get infected. Google "herd immunity".
duforsure
(11,882 posts)Then he'll keep it from cities that don't worship him , or people that he hates will not be able to get treatment because of the color of their skin, or their religion, or their political party, that's dangerous and after having the money to build a racist wall, or give the top 1% huge tax refunds yearly but can't cover all the costs of a vaccine for everyone? Shows how much contempt trump has for the American people, he only cares about himself. Weaponizing treatment by trump is another loser for this country.
durablend
(7,414 posts)Don't you dare mention those...because....something.....
ck4829
(34,966 posts)How could this be happening under a non-socialist system?
CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)I thought it would just be delivered to the red states, where the anti-vaxxers are taking up space.
IronLionZion
(45,250 posts)bucolic_frolic
(42,651 posts)I always say, Republicans believe in distributing the benefits of society only to those who are able to afford them.
There it is. What a miserable public health message. So give it over to Massachusetts, perhaps the state with the most remaining aspects of a public health system, and allow them to produce it.
Jonas Salk must be turning over in his grave. Public health, for the benefit of people and mankind. Remember?
duforsure
(11,882 posts)Costing us 100's of millions is ok, and more important then providing everyone a free vaccine against this deadly virus? Trumps an international disgrace, especially after he attacked President Obama's response to the Ebola outbreak, which President Obama handled perfectly, and was very instrumental of it being contained, and trump has done the opposite, and instead again lied to the American people saying it's under control, then appointing pence to be over this.
JudyM
(29,122 posts)Baked Potato
(7,733 posts)forthemiddle
(1,373 posts)This was an incredibly stupid answer, but I think cost will be the least of our worries.
I was part of the planning and coordinating teams for flu shot clinics in the clinic I worked in. A few of those years there was a severe nation wide shortage of shots, so the coordination part was prioritizing who would get the shot.
The first was always healthcare workers, then the elderly and immune compromised. After that it would be people in higher risk categories, such as international travelers, etc. Since almost all of the 1st served were covered by insurance (Medicare, employers for travelers, Medicaid for disabled, etc) payment was never a consideration, and I cant imagine it will be this time.
The trouble and chaos I foresee will be from the people demanding the vaccination right away even if they dont fit the higher risk categories. Because there is no way if, and when the vaccine becomes available that there will be the capacity to manufacture enough for the entire population.
Having said all that, the sound bite of him saying he cant guarantee an affordable vaccine will be a great campaign ad!
Aristus
(66,075 posts)Big Pharma scam to make money off 'useless' or even harmful medical treatment.
Of course, anti-vaxxers don't need encouragement to continue fomenting their idiocy, but I'm sure they welcome it anyway...
Pachamama
(16,873 posts)This is just stunning....
rzemanfl
(29,540 posts)Jesus H. Christ.
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)Karma13612
(4,527 posts)How about we reroute some of those $$$ that are going to the useless Border wall?
Response to Tom Yossarian Joad (Original post)
geralmar This message was self-deleted by its author.
stillcool
(32,626 posts)money to be made, and help with their master-race plans.