The United States Department of Health services has bought nearly all the supply of breakthrough COVID-19 drug Remdesivir for itself.
Due to this, the rest of the world is left possibly without any supply for the next three months.
According to reports, Trump’s administration has bought the next 500,000 doses of the anti-viral drug, Remdesvir, from manufacturer Gilead, which is 90% of all the drug that the company will produce throughout August and September.
At first, 140,000 doses of the drug was delivered to countries all over the world for trials and it was during this time the drug’s success rate in treating patients was discovered.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, praised the US buy saying:
‘PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS STRUCK AN AMAZING DEAL TO ENSURE AMERICANS HAVE ACCESS TO THE FIRST AUTHORIZED THERAPEUTIC FOR COVID-19.
‘TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ANY AMERICAN PATIENT WHO NEEDS REMDESIVIR CAN GET IT. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFE-SAVING THERAPEUTICS FOR COVID-19 AND SECURE ACCESS TO THESE OPTIONS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.’
UK doctor and scientist, Dr Andrew Hill from the University of Liverpool reacting to the US’ hoarding of the drug told The Guardian:
‘THEY’VE GOT ACCESS TO MOST OF THE DRUG SUPPLY (OF REMDESIVIR), SO THERE’S NOTHING FOR EUROPE.’
“REMDESIVIR IS UNDER GILEAD’S PATENT, MEANING NO OTHER DRUG COMPANY CAN MANUFACTURE ITS OWN SUPPLIES.”