To help poor countries access new treatment for it coronavirus in the form of a Merck pill, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation decided to invest up to $ 120 million.
The coronavirus pill has been developed by the American laboratory Merck and according to the studies so far significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization and death from covid-19 when administered in the first days after infection.
This medicine is in pill form, so it is easy to use and offers a long-awaited alternative to vaccines, especially for countries that do not have easy access to them. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently considering whether to license the pill.
Where will the money invested by the Gates Foundation be used?
The money invested by the Gates Foundation will be used mainly to promote the production of generics of this drug by other companies, mainly Indian, to which Merck has already given permission.
THE Merck predicts it will prepare the necessary doses for 10 million treatments by the end of the year. But most of them risk being given to rich countries, as has the case with the covid-19 vaccine.
“Global stocks (vaccines“were bought from rich countries,” said Trevor Mandel, president of the Gates Foundation’s global health department. “We must prevent the same thing from happening again.”
Some manufacturers of generic drugs “have stated that they can easily produce 10 million treatments a month, but the problem is that they will not do so until they see what the demand is and who will pay,” he explained. “This is what we want to accelerate, we do not want them to wait,” he said.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
