US buys up world stock of key Covid-19 drug remdesivir

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian


No other country will be able to buy remdesivir, which can help recovery from Covid-19, for next three months at least

Sarah Boseley

Tue 30 Jun 2020 14.32 EDTLast modified on Tue 30 Jun 2020 19.15 EDT

The US has bought up virtually all the stocks for the next three months of one of the two drugs proven to work against Covid-19, leaving none for the UK, Europe or most of the rest of the world.

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.

“They’ve got access to most of the drug supply [of remdesivir], so there’s nothing for Europe,” said Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University.

Remdesivir, the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19, is made by Gilead and has been shown to help people recover faster from the disease. The first 140,000 doses, supplied to drug trials around the world, have been used up. The Trump administration has now bought more than 500,000 doses, which is all of Gilead’s production for July and 90% of August and September.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug

[Grokenstein]

1. And there it is.

I am finally, genuinely ashamed to be an American.

[DVDGuy]

2. American first equals other countries putting America last in the future n/t

[sakabatou]

3. And they'll sell it back at very high prices.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Coronavirus latest news: US 'undermining' pandemic efforts by buying global supply of remdesivir

Lizzie Roberts, liveblogging Gareth Davies, breaking news editor, earlier
1 JULY 2020 • 9:17AM

The United States is "undermining" the global effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic by buying up virtually the whole supply of a drug that could shorten the recovery time of patients, leaving hardly any for other countries.

Business minister Nadhim Zahawi said in buying all supplies of remdesivir the US was not helping the global effort, saying the UK was working "responsibility so we actually deal with pandemic in a way that helps all of the world."

He added: "By attempting to compete we ultimately undermine all our strategies."

Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, is made by biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, based in California. America has secured more than 500,000 treatment courses through September. That represents 100 per cent of Gilead’s projected production for July, and 90 per cent for each of the next two months.

More:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-remdesivir-gilead-uk-lockdown-local-leicester/

[elleng]

5. 'leaving none for the UK, Europe or most of the rest of the world.'

How to make friends . . .

[LuvNewcastle]

6. This will come back and bite us in the ass.

Unfortunately, Trump won't be the only one to suffer. We need to get a thorough accounting of where these doses go. If they get auctioned off to the highest bidder, that should be the final nail in his coffin.

[Rollo]

10. Especially if some other nation gets an effective vaccine months before we do...

Meanwhile I think Trump should just drink bleach.

[not_the_one]

21. What you wanna bet the turd will be sending a portion of those doses to Putin?

He's already sent much needed ventilators.

Connect the dots... La La La La... Connect the dots... La La La La (in Pee Wee Herman voice)

It is as obvious as hell what is happening, yet the media can't seem to put it together in a coherent narrative... And apparently the Democrats can't be bothered. Are we going to have to thank The Lincoln Project for making the turd lose? And WHERE THE FUCK IS BLOOMBERG?

I see the big picture quite clearly, and I am a nobody on a couch. Why can't they?

Oh, right. Americans are so stupid they (the unwashed masses) can't think more than one thought at a time. Wouldn't want to confuse the Poor Little Darling Snowflakes.



Sorry, I am so BEYOND cynical.

[LuvNewcastle]

22. I think the same things.

It’s all so predictable but so many don’t seem to get it. It’s beyond frustrating. I don’t think the Democrats want to bring up the Russians very much, but it’s going to be an issue, there’s no getting around it.

[PSPS]

7. Gilead isn't blameless here. They probably got a "Do me a favor, though" call and joined the mob.

[Garion_55]

8. well at least we know what trump and putin have been talking about.

so whats the plan to divert those drugs to russia? what jared kushner back channel road to putin plan is in place to make sure all that stuff gets to putin?

[not fooled]

9. There is a better way to mitigate the effects of the virus in the U.S.

How about mounting an effective Federal response involving better access to testing, contact tracing, and isolation of those exposed, as other countries have done?

Oh, wait, we can't have here that because red don is in thrall to the asshole "libertarian" billionaires who don't want OUR government to function.

[soothsayer]

11. This. Remdesivir doesn't prevent deaths, while stopping the spread does

[tanyev]

15. And how about he tell all Americans they need to wear masks?

That would help everyone. Even if remdesivir were a miracle drug, and it doesn't sound like it is, 500K doses only helps 500K people.

[TomVilmer]

12. This really just is as stupid as Hydroxychloroquine...

The Trump people thinks Remdesivir is a wonder drug, but it is only a bit helpful to shorten the time Covid victims need in the respirator. Other drugs like Hydrocortison seems to do a better job.

My country Denmark have secured access to the small amounts we might need of Remdesivir - so Trump is free to buy all the rest for himself. And since he keeps the epidemic going so well, he might need a lot. But I suspect he and his cronies will drink it as an ineffective antidote...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Other countries should make it themselves and send some royalties to Gilead. To hell with it

It's an international health crisis.

And this is tRump's idea of a response: let lots of people get sick and save a few with drugs. A better response reduces the number of people who get sick in the first place, of course.

[NCjack]

17. Yeah, but find a better use for the royalties.

[truthisfreedom]

14. We're missing the point here. The Democratic Party needs to track every single dose of this drug

and find out just exactly who is getting it and why.

[Hotler]

16. It must be a scam to steal money.....

The orange one and his wreaking crew use our tax dollars to corner the market on remdesivir. They divide it up among the family's and they turn around and sell it back to us and the world.

[eggplant]

18. Isn't this the drug that Gilead is charging thousands of dollars per dose for?

Hmmm.....

[Javaman]

19. the orange asshole probably bought it all for his own private stock

aka fuck everyone else...as per usual.

[Talitha]

20. My thoughts exactly...

[Grasswire2]

23. where are the 29 million doses of useless hydroxycholoroquine he hoarded?

Where are they?

What's the monetary loss U.S. takes on that SNAFU?