STAT+: HHS leader to vaccine makers: Set ‘reasonable’ prices for your next round of Covid-19 vaccines
Amid ongoing controversy over the cost of medicines, a key Biden administration official told Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers that their next round of shots should be priced reasonably, a move that comes after two key suppliers were accused of price gouging.
In an open letter, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra noted that the companies obtained value through U.S. government investment, citing federal funding that laid the groundwork for the development of Covid-19 vaccines and roughly $30 billion worth of contracts paid for with taxpayer dollars.
“Updated Covid-19 vaccines entering the market this fall should be priced at a reasonable rate, reflective of the value that you have obtained through U.S. government investment. Price gouging behavior takes advantage of the trust the American people have placed in you through the Covid-19 response,” he wrote.
