From the Coalition on Human Needs (http://www.chn.org):
Each month, the tally of COVID-19 cases increases dramatically. Throughout the United States, we now have 4.6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus―and more than 154,000 deaths. The only realistic end to the pandemic is the creation of an effective vaccine.
Billions of dollars of tax-payers’ money is being deployed to create a vaccine as soon as possible. Having an effective vaccine is critical, but we must also ensure all Americans will be able to afford it.
We demand Congress pass legislation to prevent Big Pharma from price gouging on the future COVID-19 vaccine. This is no time for excess profits. This pandemic constitutes a public health emergency―and people throughout our country, regardless of their ability to pay, must be able to obtain the vaccine.
Join CHN and our allies at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-now-demand-equal-access-to-an-affordable-covid-19-vaccine-2/ to demand equal access to an affordable COVID-19 vaccine.
Congress must immediately pass the Make Medication Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Price Gouging Act (H.R. 7296) and the Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge Act (H.R. 7288) to:
- prohibit monopolies on new, taxpayer-funded COVID-19 drugs;
- require the federal government to mandate reasonable, affordable pricing of any new, taxpayer-funded COVID-19 drug;
- and ensure taxpayers know how much and the terms under which they are paying to help drug corporations develop COVID-19 treatments.
As with so many broken aspects of American life which put the health and well-being of the wealthy few ahead of those most in need, the pandemic has laid bare inequalities felt by vulnerable people across our country. African Americans have died from COVID-19 at twice the rate of any other racial group, and two-thirds of Latinx households have lost jobs or wages due to the pandemic-caused recession.
We can’t allow systemic racism and chronic economic inequalities to result in communities of color and the poor being left out in the administration of the future COVID-19 vaccine.
Together we are going to send a clear message to members of Congress: Any and all vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 developed by drug corporations using taxpayer money must be accessible and affordable to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.
Thank you for your continued help to fight for vulnerable people throughout our country.
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