Syringe and Covid-19 vaccine ampoule lie on top of a pile of money
Getty
In a State of the Union address last night, President Biden announced the launch of a new initiative called the “Test for Treatment” program. This allows Americans to test Covid-19 in pharmacies and receive free oral treatment if positive. –Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir) or Lagevrio (molnupiravir)-on the spot.
US federal policy has come a long way since just two years before government officials declared pricing. When The affordability of the Covid-19 vaccine should be left to the free market. At that time, Secretary of Health and Welfare Alex Azar even refused to guarantee that the coronavirus vaccine was affordable for everyone.
Not guaranteeing the affordability of the Covid-19 vaccine means that the ability to pay, or the coverage of a person’s health insurance, determines who has access to the vaccine and who cannot. Similarly, without a guarantee of free access to coronavirus testing and Covid-19 treatment, your ability to pay will determine who will be tested and treated and who will not. The consensus today is that this is considered unethical during the infectious disease pandemic.
At a parliamentary budget hearing in February 2020, Hazard said he did not promise that the new coronavirus vaccine would be affordable. Hazard further states: [But] The price cannot be controlled because the private sector needs to invest. Price controls do not lead us there. “
The debate against initiating price controls on medicines and vaccines is supported by economists and policy makers. Opponents of price controls argue that such government intervention impedes private sector R & D. Nonetheless, Hazard’s comments, if any, have little support for another issue of guaranteed affordability.
Not guaranteeing affordability could determine who has access to vaccines, coronavirus tests, or Covid-19 treatment, or who does not, the ability to pay, or the coverage of a person’s health insurance. Means there is.
Most would argue that phased access subject to socio-economic status is unethical, especially during public health emergencies of infectious diseases. In addition, proponents who guarantee affordability argue that vaccines, diagnostic tests, and treatments (partially) developed with US taxpayer money should be available to everyone. increase.
Indeed, this was exactly the discussion that took place at the February 2020 hearing to counter Hazard’s affordable non-guaranteed. Historically, Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said that affordability was “not a problem with pandemic vaccines. They are usually developed with the support of many governments and are affordable. There is no example of a pandemic vaccine that wasn’t priced. “
Therefore, during the pandemic, the US federal government has guaranteed a free vaccine. Similarly, we also offer free coronavirus testing and treatment. In particular, some subtle changes have been made to the policy. For example, healthcare companies no longer need to offer Covid-19 treatment completely free of charge. In the fall of 2021, many insurers reset their Covid-19-related treatment and medical service deductions and out-of-pocket costs.
All of this raises questions about future policies. Will the federal government intervene in the payment of diagnostic tests, vaccines, and treatment costs only if an infectious disease outbreak and a public health emergency are declared? Or are there other situations in which the government intervenes to become a universally free access guarantor? And, if any, this depends on how much the government was involved in diagnostic, therapeutic, and vaccine research and development.
Covid-19 is not the last public health threat of its kind. In addition, in the future, non-communicable public health emergencies may occur that require government intervention to ensure universal access to testing and treatment.
The Covid-19 pandemic is a vaccine, especially at least part of the cost of research, development and manufacturing, and in testing, treatment, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.
Going forward, the federal government needs to establish clear parameters for situations such as public health emergencies that ensure free access to diagnostics, treatment, and vaccines.
..
