GOUGE: Moderna, Pfizer Want To Cash In Even More On COVID Vaccine

Moderna, which had received a $10 million handout from U.S. taxpayers to develop a COVID vaccination, sold $18 Billion worth of vaccines by 2021.

Pfizer stated last March that it expected to bring in $32 billion in COVID vaccination sales by 2022. Moderna, however, forecasted sales of at least $19 billion.

However, as with all things, nothing is ever sufficient. Moderna is planning to increase the price of its booster shot, which currently costs $26 per dose. The new price will be between $110 and $130. According A report by The Wall Street Journal.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that the sky-high price was justified by Moderna. “I would think this type of pricing is consistent with the value.”

Moderna gave them to the government in 2021 at $15-$16 each dose after U.S. taxpayers subventioned the creation the mRNA-based COVID vaccination. In 2022, it was $26 per dose. And now they want — $130?!

Moderna says it’s just setting a fair market price, noting that Pfizer is also looking to get upwards of $130 per vaccine dose.

U.S. lawmakers decried the announcement by Pfizer of its new price late last ye. Last month, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D.MA) and former-Rep. Peter Welch(D-VT), criticized the Pfizer price hike. “pure and deadly greed” And accused the company “unseemly profiteering.”

“We urge you to back off from your proposed price increases and ensure COVID-19 vaccines are reasonably priced and accessible to people across the United States,” The lawmakers wrote.

“Thanks to billions of federal dollars used to support production and delivery of Pfizer’s vaccine product, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is currently free for patients in the United States,” The lawmakers stated this in their letter.

The United States has administered more than 400,000,000 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines, boosters, and other drugs. According Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal government urges Americans to keep getting boosters after booster.

However, it seems that the boosters might not work as well as they once did.

Some federal vaccine advisers stated Wednesday that they were “disappointed” And “angry” Moderna and government scientists did not provide any infection data about the effectiveness of its latest COVID booster last year during meetings.

Even without data, advisers approved the booster. The data now shows that the booster may not be as effective as the original shots. They were directed at a different strain of the virus.

“I was angry to find out that there was data that was relevant to our decision that we didn’t get to see,” Paul Offit is a member the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of external advisors who help the FDA make vaccine decision. According CNN

“Decisions that are made for the public have to be made based on all available information – not just some information, but all information,” He stated.

India reported the Omicron subtype variant XBB-1.5% for the first time earlier this month. This has spread around the world.

The CDC Estimates XBB.1.5 infection rates have increased more than twice each week over the past four weeks, increasing from approximately 4% to 41% in new cases during December. According to the CDC, 75% of all new cases in the Northeast were caused by the new strain.

The CDC also announced earlier this month that America has officially reached the milestone of 100,000,000 COVID cases.

The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Joseph Curl is a 35-year veteran of politics, having served 12 years as White House correspondent in a national newspaper. For four years, he was the Drudge Report’s a.m. editor. Send tips [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @josephcurl