| WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Pfizer confirmed what patients across the country already know: The company continues to put profits over patients. In announcing a deal with the U.S. government, Pfizer revealed it will charge American taxpayers $1.95 billion for 100 million doses of its upcoming vaccine — revealing a price of nearly $20 per dose.
“It’s official: Pfizer plans to openly profiteer off of this pandemic,” said Ben Wakana, executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs.
Previously, Pfizer publicly stated plans to make a profit off of its COVID-19 vaccine. On Wednesday, the pharmaceutical giant announced it would price its vaccine almost six times higher than the cost AstraZeneca has predicted for its COVID-19 vaccine.
“That’s not profit, it’s profiteering off a public health crisis,” Wakana added.
If ever there were a time for Big Pharma to find its conscience, it would be now, as millions of people across the country make enormous sacrifices in the midst of the pandemic. Instead, drug corporations continue business as usual — hiking prices of over 180 COVID-19 related medications and making pricing decisions to line their own pockets and please shareholders.
Patients are sick of pharma’s antics and are calling out for protection. According to a Gallup poll, nearly nine in 10 Americans support direct price negotiations by the federal government with drug manufacturers for COVID-19 drugs.
Congress must take action to ensure pharmaceutical manufacturers like Pfizer, Merck, and Moderna don’t profiteer on the backs of patients in a pandemic.
###
|
