[Politics_Observer]

@JohnRawls

I don't know much about the pharmaceutical business. But if the U.S. and our companies can help in any way in dealing with the global pandemic, I think we should.

[Heisenberg]

I don't know much about the pharmaceutical business.

All you really need to know about the pharmaceutical business is that it is cartoonishly evil, even by capitalist robber-baron standards. Lol.

[JohnRawls]

@JohnRawls

I don't know much about the pharmaceutical business. But if the U.S. and our companies can help in any way in dealing with the global pandemic, I think we should.

It is a trick in my opinion. Do you really think that waving the patents will somehow make it easier to PRODUCE the vaccine. Anyone who is capable of production is already producing it. Waving the patent doesn't seem to do anything besides remove royalties in some cases. Will that even make the vaccine cheaper? Probably not while the demand is this high. I mean, what reason does AZ, Pfizer, Moderna etc to reduce the price if there is literally not enough of them.

I might be wrong but this is how i see it.

[AFAIK]

I haven't read up on this, so take this with a grain of salt.

But I am thinking somebody, maybe the Biden team, goofed. You do negotiations in private, and a complicated situation like this would require a lot of negotiation.

You only announce the plan after you get a deal, or at least really close to a nailed down deal.

Biden announced his commitment to waiving Covid patents prior to getting elected and has been under pressure to fulfill that promise since taking office.

I've thought of another selfish reason for developed countries to support patent wavers. China has been exporting many doses from Sinopharm and Sinovac around the world gaining lots of diplomatic browny points in the process. If you want to stand up to China don't give them an in with developing countries.

[Politics_Observer]

@JohnRawls

It is a trick in my opinion. Do you really think that waving the patents will somehow make it easier to PRODUCE the vaccine. Anyone who is capable of production is already producing it. Waving the patent doesn't seem to do anything besides remove royalties in some cases. Will that even make the vaccine cheaper? Probably not while the demand is this high. I mean, what reason does AZ, Pfizer, Moderna etc to reduce the price if there is literally not enough of them.

I might be wrong but this is how i see it.

Hey sharing is caring and all that, right?

[Skynet]

@Politics_Observer

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/south-african-variant-may-break-through-pfizer-vaccine-protection-vaccine-highly-2021-04-18/


South African variant may 'break through' Pfizer vaccine protection, but vaccine highly effective, Israeli study says

We have to learn to live with the Virus. It will be like the seasonal flu, every year a new vaccine. Who to hell will invest money in a new vaccine???


Better the rich countries provide the money to vaccinate the hole planet so the virus has no time to mutate

[AFAIK]

After further thought I think mandatory licensing might be a more effective policy as we could compel companies to share their techniques and know how with third parties whilst maintaining oversight and quality control.

[Rugoz]

There's no monopoly on Covid vaccines, many different variants/manufacturers exist. I don't think waiving patents is a necessity.

Meanwhile, does the US still restrict the export of vaccine materials? That's probably the far more relevant issue.

[Subliminal]

No. There is the South-African mutation, which vaccines can not fight.

Errm... if you're vaccinated with Biontech, you're safe.

[PhantomStranger]

@Politics_Observer



We have to learn to live with the Virus. It will be like the seasonal flu, every year a new vaccine. Who to hell will invest money in a new vaccine???


Better the rich countries provide the money to vaccinate the hole planet so the virus has no time to mutate

It already has. There is te delta variant and two more have been reported. Coronaviruse like all viruses mutate quickly. What they mutate into is the question. The spike protein in the delta variant of Covid 19 seems to spread faster and cause more severe symptoms but when you are NOT vaccinated..we are told if you had your proper double dose of Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Z or your one dose of Johnson and Johnson you will be ok with this variant.

Things are changing rapidly as we speak.

Here is an article with both sides of the patent argument explained:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavir ... -1.5418708

[Negotiator]

Is that this Biontech sh** ?

Expensive, and needs booster shots all the time ?

If they want to give the rest of the world a vaccine, I would ask for Sputnik V.