
US buys up world stock of key Covid-19 drug - samwillis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug
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salmon30salmon
I don't see a huge problem with this. An American company created and patented
the drug. How is it bad that the US bought the supply? If the United States
was _hoarding_ the supply and there was no need for it the US, then that would
be morally suspect. But there is a need in the US, and while that need doesn't
outweigh the needs of others, the Unites States shouldn't be expected to
forego its access for others at this time.

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jimnotgym
I suppose you could say that if 500k Americans won't require the drug during
July then the US are indeed hoarding it.

To test your morality think about how you would feel if China discovers a
vaccine first and keeps the first 2bn doses for its own people. Then India,
Russia, Europe, Africa and the US gets it 2 years later?

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vanattab
Honestly that is exactly what I would expect China or the US to do. The
process of producing the vaccine should be shared with all countries and
perhaps enough vaccine samples set aside to help kick other countries kick off
producing it. All countries should be trying to develop vaccines and sharing
the knowledge but should also reserve production for their own citizens first.

Also the 500,000 is not just for July it includes %90 of production for August
and September and of course can be used whenever before it expires. Also it is
not a single does per patient more like 11 for a 10 day treatment program. So
it's enough doses to treat about 15,000 patients per month for three months.
The rate of new cases is accelerating and currently stands at 40,000 new cases
a day and Dr. Fauci expects it to hit 100,000 per day. So I would not classify
it as unnecessary hording.

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jimnotgym
> The process of producing the vaccine should be shared with all countries

Is the process to make Remdesivir being shared globally?

