Moderna-NIH Agreement on Publicly-Funded Discovery Will Be Dwarfed by Moderna’s Unconscionable Price Spike

Contact Your Elected Officials

WASHINGTON – Moderna reported that it has reached a $400 million agreement with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the rights to use publicly-funded technology that was key to the success of the NIH-Moderna COVID vaccine. Public Citizen was the first to reveal that Moderna and others had used a publicly-funded, NIH-engineered solution to freeze spike proteins to keep their shape, which was a crucial step for producing a stronger immune response in the COVID vaccines. Columbia Law School clinical professor Christopher Morten subsequently demonstrated Modernaโ€™s infringement of the patent.

Public Citizen, PrEP4All, and other advocacy groupsย called onย the U.S. government to ensure accessible pricing and equitable global access in its license negotiations. Next month, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancelย will appearย before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, chaired by U.S. Senatorย Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), to discuss Modernaโ€™s proposed price hike on the vaccine. Peter Maybarduk, director of the Access to Medicines program at Public Citizen, released the following statement:

โ€œThis remedy for Modernaโ€™s use of publicly-owned technology key to its success is not remotely sufficient.

โ€œModernaโ€™s catch-up payment to NIH amounts to little more than 1% of its $36 billion in global sales. That modest return to taxpayers will be dwarfed, probably many times over, by Modernaโ€™s harmful and grotesque proposed 400% price spike.

โ€œConsidering Modernaโ€™s soup-to-nuts reliance on U.S. government support, the public deserves a much better deal, including vaccines made available free or at cost today.

โ€œThe government should have insisted on affordability from the start, and should insist on essentially free vaccines today. There would be no NIH-Moderna vaccine without the NIH.

โ€œFortunately, Moderna will be held to account on March 22, when CEO Stephane Bancel will appear before the Senate and the people at Chairman Bernie Sandersโ€™ hearing on Modernaโ€™s outrageous vaccine price spike.โ€

About Public Citizen

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people – not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters throughout the country.

Originally Published on February 24, 2022

Read Original Press Release on Citizen.org

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Doxed Democrats Are Getting Fired Left and Left

Not a misprint because a title of โ€œleft and...

Hold Up, Feds, Without Federalism, There Is No USA

Federalism is essential to governing the U.S., yet the federal government is undermining it by bribing states to implement unnecessary federal programs.

A Widow Inspires The World

Erika Kirk moved the nation with her speech two days after her husbandโ€™s assassination, vowing to continue his mission and grow Turning Point USA.

Both Left and Right Are Making Lists

The right admired Charlie Kirk for his faith and patriotism, while the left opposed him for dismantling their positions and narratives with ease.

Redemptionโ€™s playbook: The Senior

The Senior isnโ€™t your usual underdog tale, itโ€™s real, itโ€™s raw, and it flips every clichรฉ on its head with a playbook full of grit and plenty of aftermaths.

US and Qatar Working on Enhanced Defense Pact Following Israeli Strike in Doha

US and Qatar are nearly finished hashing out a new defense cooperation agreement, Sec. of State Rubio said during a trip through the Middle East.

Trump to Appeal Ruling Allowing Fed Governor Lisa Cook to Keep Her Job

The Trump admin will appeal a three-judge panelโ€™s ruling that prevents the president from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

Charlie Kirkโ€™s Alleged Murderer Confessed Shortly After Shooting, Messages Show

The man accused of murdering conservative influencer Charlie Kirk confessed to the killing in text messages, authorities said on Sept. 16.

News Anchor Resigns After Being Suspended Over On-Air Charlie Kirk Tribute

A WICS-ABC20 Springfield anchor resigns after being suspended for paying on-air tribute to the late Charlie Kirk.

Trump Supports Designating Antifa a Terrorist Organization

President Trump said he would support designating the antifa movement a terrorist organization in the wake of Charlie Kirkโ€™s assassination last week.

US Conducts Strike on Another Drug Boat From Venezuela: Trump

Three people were killed in a U.S. strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 15.

Trump Signs Memo Targeting Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

President Trump signed a memo to ensure drug ads give fair, balanced, and complete information to protect and inform American consumers.

Trump Runs out of Patience With China, Sharpens His Words

President Donald Trumpโ€™s recent remarks targeting China and its allies mark a noticeable shift in tone.
spot_img

Related Articles