USA Purchases Global Stock of remdesivir - a key COVID-19 drug

https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/06/us-purchases-global-stock-of-remdesivir-a-key-covid-19-drug-us-news.html

Unsurprising, and even if the EU gets/manufactures any the UK will be a long way down the line as we’re no longer a member state.

But blue passports! :facepalm:

We should just follow China’s lead and ignore US patents. National Security as Trump would say.

Interestingly, at the bottom of the article it says that there is a way for the UK to obtain the drug by having it made in generic form in India where the patents are not recognised.

If I had to inject a potent anti-viral into my vein I would want to be 100% sure that it was the exact same drug that had been safety tested.

(I wonder if Gilead complained about The Handmaid’s Tale,…crap name for a drug company now.)

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They presumably thought they were being very clever because “there is balm in Gilead”.

Not now there isn’t. The USA is trying to pour oil on troubled waters. They have been so appalling in protecting their people , of whom many have been too fond of spouting their ‘Constitutional Rights’ and totally ignoring their duties towards their fellow citizens

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I guess when they set up they never thought a small book by a little known feminist author could ever have influence over their name!

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The book came first, but would science in big pharma have even heard of it?

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Extracted from an article in today’s Daily Mail: "Generic versions of the drug could them be bought from countries such as India which do not recognise the patent.

However, the UK does not like to do this as it would irritate the domestic pharmaceutical industry…"

Large pharmaceutical companies usually file patents worldwide - to actually source off-patent remdesivir before the patent had expired would be pretty questionable and potentially open the government/NHS to large lawsuits.

Not to mention the quality control issues - yes we use a lot of generics but sourced from reputable manufacturers - this sounds like the sort of outfit that supply the Internet pharmacies with little blue pills.

Somehow I doubt that Boris Johnson would be averse to ‘irritating’ anyone if he thought it was necessary.

It was a tongue in cheek comment Jane! :woman_facepalming:t3:

Big Pharma are not known for their support of feminist literature…which is why I said it as I know the book came first.

He does more than irritate me!

Are you sure that’s an issue? I had seen somewhere that there would be an extra £350m a week sloshing around in the NHS, surely that should allow them to out-bid any other country.
Maybe we could ask Boris where the £350m is?

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