Trump ‘Undermining’ Global Fight Against Covid By Hoarding New Drug, Minister Warns
Donald Trump risks “undermining” global collaboration on Covid-19 by buying up the world’s supplies of a drug treatment for the virus, the British government has warned.
Business minister Nadhim Zahawi hit out after it emerged that the United States had struck a deal with pharma giant Gilead to purchase almost its entire production of Remdesivir for the next three months.
Downing Street backed the minister on the need for countries and drugs firms to be “collaborating” rather than competing, as it revealed the UK had already stockpiled its own supply of the anti-viral treatment for NHS patients.
No.10 also said that the UK was opposed to the exploitation of potentially life-saving drugs for “financial gain” and stressed that countries should work together to beat the pandemic.
Remdesivir is authorised in the US as a possible treatment for patients with coronavirus, although its impact on death rates is far from proven. The only other NHS approved drug treatment is the steroid dexamethasone.
US health secretary Alex Aza announced on Tuesday night that “President Trump has struck an amazing deal” to buy 500,000 courses of the drug, equivalent to 100% of Gilead’s output for July and 90% for August and September.
Remdesivir has until now been given out free by Gilead to other countries, but that deal has come to an end and developed nations will be charged £320 per treatment.
Zahawi told Sky News: “By attempting to compete, I think we ultimately undermine all of our strategies. Much better to work together than to work to undermine each other.”
He added that the UK was trying to “actually deal with pandemic in a way that helps all of the world”.
Asked about Zahawi’s remarks, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: ”We are collaborating with all of our allies on researching, developing and purchasing Covid-19 treatments.
“If we have medicines in the UK which were needed, they would not be diverted to other countries for financial...
