Wednesday, June 10, 2020

“For decades, these drug corporations have held the healthcare of billions of people hostage, lining their pockets to become the most profitable industry in the nation,” said Margarida Jorge, national campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now. “Apparently Dr. Fauci, a senior public health official responsible for our nation’s COVID response, believes that’s okay. Big Pharma should not be the ones deciding the cost of a vaccine, full stop. They’ve proven over and over that they cannot be trusted to put the health of the American people first. Some companies have claimed they’ll work to ensure a vaccine is affordable, taking this an opportunity to improve their diminished public image. But the truth is, there’s no way to hold them accountable if Trump officials hand them monopoly control to charge whatever they want. A COVID vaccine can’t help Americans if no one can afford it. Congress must step in to safeguard public health.