Coronavirus: US buys nearly entire world supply of Remdesivir

The United States has purchased almost the entire worldwide supply of Remdesivir. It has left hardly any for the rest of the world.

Remdesivir is a drug that has been proven effective for coronavirus patients who are in serious condition.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday that more than 500,000 treatment courses of the drug have been purchased from Gilead Sciences for American hospitals through September.

An average of six vials of Remdisivir is used in each treatment course.

Gilead Sciences for American hospitals is the sole manufacturer of this drug. The drug was earlier developed to treat Ebola.

The company has agreed to provide nearly all of its supply to the US over the next three months.

Dr. Andrew Hill, a senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University, said “This deal that’s been struck by America means that people with COVID-19 in the UK can’t get access to these treatments that would get them out of hospital quickly and might improve their chances of survival.
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“So far, we know that for the next three months there will be no supplies of remdesivir – America will take the drugs and we won’t have access to them. That’s the case in the UK and Europe.”

“President Trump has struck an amazing deal to ensure Americans have access to the first authorized therapeutic for Covid-19,” said the US health and human services secretary, Alex Azar. “To the extent possible, we want to ensure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it. The Trump administration is doing everything in our power to learn more about life-saving therapeutics for Covid-19 and secure access to these options for the American people.”

The US saw a new daily record of 40,000 new coronavirus cases in one day. Health expert Dr. Fauci said, “We are going in the wrong direction,” “I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around,” “It is going to be very disturbing, I guarantee you that.”