This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
June 30, 2020, marked a significant development in the global fight against COVID-19 as the US Department of Health and Human Services announced it had secured half a million treatment courses of the antiviral drug remdesivir from its manufacturer, Gilead Sciences.
The deal, which includes 100% of Gilead's production for July and 90% for August and September, has raised concerns about access to the drug for the rest of the world.
Remdesivir, the first authorized therapeutic for COVID-19, has shown modest benefits in treating the disease, with hospitalized patients recovering four days faster than those given a placebo. However, its impact on saving lives remains uncertain, with ongoing studies yet to provide conclusive results.
While Gilead has signed licensing agreements with generic manufacturers in India, Pakistan, and Egypt to supply remdesivir to 127 mainly low- and middle-income countries, the license excludes more than 70 large middle-income countries, including Brazil, Mexico, and China.
“That adds up to half the world's population,” noted Peter Maybarduk, director of the access to medicines program at Public Citizen.
The US government's move has left many questioning the fairness of the distribution, with some accusing the US and Gilead of collusively agreeing to prioritize American access to the drug.
“There's no way to explain this than to say, well, somehow between the US government and Gilead, they have collusively agreed that for whatever reason, Americans come first,” said Brook Baker, professor of law at Northeastern University and a senior policy analyst for Health Global Access Project.
The global pandemic has claimed over 500,000 lives and infected more than 10 million people worldwide, highlighting the need for equitable access to COVID-19 countermeasures.
