Yet governments maintained the same system, leaving three vital decisions in the hands of drug companies: production, distribution, and price. This allows companies to maximise their profit by supplying countries that could pay the highest price while ignoring poorer ones. The situation presented by covid-19 vaccines dismantles this approach and instead calls for a system of manufacturing and distribution of tests, medicines, and vaccines at affordable prices. Global actions are needed to expand manufacturing sites to ensure universal access to vaccines, medicines, and tests. A profit based system for vaccines and other countermeasures results in price escalation rather than maximising production to ensure access for all.

Source: Forbes March 30, 2022 22:52 UTC