comment: >
  
  I believe that’s covered by the legal precedent of: “because fuck you, that’s why”
context: It is patently absurd (no pun intended) that the government just surrenders these patents and intellectual property to for profit companies without maintaining any control over them whatsoever.  
  If this isn’t a great example of corporate capture, I don’t know what is >
  
  I thought Moderna was the one company that didn’t benefit from operation warp speed? Not that i in any way condone the price hike. >
  
  I believe Operation Warp Speed dealt with manufacturing not development. The idea of manufacturing vaccines that had positive data before they were approved since it takes a long time to build up a large amount of vaccine cultures. The thinking is at least one vaccine would get approved and the headstart would offer enough savings in the economy to justify the cost, not to mention lives saved. >
  
  No it dealt with both.  Moderna developed their vaccine solo  . Again i don’t think the raise in price is a good thing but you have to admit it puts them in a different position than the other vaccine developers >
  
  Moderna took $1.5 billion for development. >
  
  So did they take less money for something else ? I’ve always heard they were somehow an exception to receiving the benefits of operation warp speed. Are you saying this is totally false?! If it’s not then they should be granted a little more freedom for turning down a government handout. >
  
  BioNTech is the vaccine company that rejected Operation Warp Speed funding. They created the vaccine, and partnered with Pfizer in the US to develop mass production and distribution. >
  
  BioNtech was supported by the German government and they want their taxpayer money back, Germany is a well run country for the taxpayer >
  
  Source? >
  
  it was around the time of the "release the patents" push, 2021, the German government said no as it was their investment >
  
  Pfizer also plans to charge between $100 and $130 for its vaccine.  What a coincidence. >
  
  And just like that vaccine rates drop to 0% >
  
  Are a lot of people still getting vaccines? I’ve had three shots — and never got Covid — but it’s been a while since I had one >
  
  
  I’ve had three shots — and never got Covid
  
  Or, more likely, you did get COVID, but because you were vaccinated the symptoms were very mild. >
  
  For sure, I have definitely wondered if I got it and just didn’t know >
  
  If you haven't been masking, I'd assume that you have had it at some point.
  A real testament to how well the vaccine works. >
  
  I've had 4 shots, the two original, 1 booster, and then the bivalent. Never stopped masking at stores. Unmasked in restaurants though. Balance. No reason to ever stop in stores. Still no covid symptoms ever here! >
  
  Because in America we socialize the loses and privatize the profits. >
  
  Profit will kill millions. India and other countries knew this was going to happen, were trying to push for making the vaccine and related tech public domain so developing countries can develop their own. But no, IP and monopolization of something as essential as a vaccine amongst the rich pharmaceutical corps among the rich countries is non-negotiable. This is what millions will die over - someone had to make money. >
  
  How is it not Public Domain?  I’m sure the $30B didn’t cover all expenses, but shouldn’t there have been a cap on price gouging when it was highly publicly funded?  I’m sure our government is inept enough not to consider that, but what is the production cost now?  Not only is it a bit shitty to do, where going to be spreading this thing like wildfire (again), because a huge % won’t/can’t pay for it…FUCK! >
  
  Not inept. Corrupt. >
  
  Politicians are the best investment a company can make. >
  
  
  Politicians are the best investment a company can make.
  
  This is the 2nd great quote In this thread.
  
  Because in America we socialize the loses and privatize the profits. >
  
  Their poor CEO needs to buy groceries >
  
  Hey now that third yacht isn't going to buy itself you know. >
  
  Betsy DeVos’s yacht scheduler has entered the chat. >
  
  Congress needs to pass legislation that requires the federal government/American taxpayers to get a slice of the “pie” just like private investors get! Imagine the tax relief for Americans if that had been done from the country’s beginning. >
  
  Correct. We need to start structuring these in one of several ways:
  1) a loan with clear payback terms and interest rates 
  2) an investment where the government obtains a certain percentage of the economic outcomes (dividends, royalties, etc)
  3) a hybrid model of loan and investment. 
  4) government owned IP that is sold or leased to private individuals/companies at fair market value. This would be things are are generated by government agencies or exclusively funded by federal dollars. >
  
  Tons of meds get US government funding and then congress (investors) and the companies, sell them to impossible to afford prices, while people in other countries get it for free with their universal healthcare. >
  
  I can answer that question... for money >
  
  Who do you think the government works for?
  Us the people?  LOL >
  
  50 Republicans and Kyrsten Sinema, made sure this could happen. >
  
  Not having controlling interest in the patent should be investigated. >
  
  This should be free to all and we should be sharing it with other countries otherwise this will happen again and again. >
  
  It costs money to produce the vaccine. In addition it must be properly refrigerated until it is used. >
  
  Agreed. That is why the government money was appropriately allocated.  Manufacturing and sharing is the minimal action needed when compared to shutting down the US and world economy. And its humane. >
  
  Because "Fuck You!", that's why. >
  
  Let me tell you a story about insulin... >
  
  Whenever I hear the word “jab” I just tune out. Isn’t that word basically what anti vaxxers call it? >
  
  It’s all a big club and we’re not in it🙃 >
  
  Because the US government exists to implement socialism for corporations and anarcho-capitalism on the poor. >
  
  Corporate welfare. >
  
  The agreement signed off on by the US govt allows it, so they will charge what they can. >
  
  Who signed off on it? Was it that grand ole negotiator TFG? >
  
  Yea that's the one, the brilliant negotiator >
  
  Behold the art of the deal. >
  
  "Fuck you! Pay me." >
  
  I think you are not in complete understanding of how corporate welfare works... >
  
  I mean doesn't this happen with most of our tax dollars? We pay taxes, a huge chunk is handed out to corporations, and those corporations use that money to research and develop stuff to sell back to us. 
  It's a massive con. So long as politicians aren't forced to put all their holdings into blind trusts, they will forever allow this kind of bullshit. A few hundred politicians make bank by ripping of hundreds of millions of taxpayers. That's the American way. >
  
  Lawmakers get kickbacks from Big Pharma. That's how it's allowable. >
  
  Because ain't nothing or no one that will stop them.
  Capitalism for the win. >
  
  Because that’s capitalism, and that is the problem with why it’s not working.
  New system please. Only communism, thank you >
  
  Because fuck you that's why >
  
  Wasn’t this part of the point of “Operation Warpspeed”? You remove all regulatory barriers, and made society pay for R&D costs of unproven medicines, and in exchange we got a Covid vaccine inside of like 12 months. 
  I’m not saying this isn’t really shitty, but it was always part of the deal that we gave up control of these in exchange for private industry getting its ass in gear. 
  The fact that pharma companies decided to eventually be assholes shouldn’t be a shock >
  
  Why does a dog lick his balls? Because he can. >
  
  The government offered this deal to pharma so that pharma would prioritize research and production.  That’s why the US was miles ahead of the EU in getting vaccine delivered to its citizens.  Nothing talks like money. >
  
  basically.  We went from novel disease to vaccine in less than a year.  That is astounding. >
  
  Agree.  When President Trump said in May 2020 that a vaccine would be ready by the end of the year, people laughed, and rightfully so.   Up until that point, science had never developed and mass produced a safe and effective vaccine in the space of a year.  In addition to a bit of luck, this happened because the US dumped a ton of money into the pharma industry.  Say what you will about pharma making to much money, but it motivates. >
  
  mmmmno. People didn't laugh at that. You probably mistook all the other times we laughed at him for saying stupid shit, which was very often. Someone else delivering a vaccine wasn't one of them, though. >
  
  Don’t get me wrong.  The man is a brainless donkey.  I don’t think he made some prophetic announcement.  He obviously heard the r&d progress in a briefing and remembered it. >
  
  My point is that people weren't laughing at him for stating that. In fact most of us were hoping for good  news. Realistically, however, people were laughing at him for something else, because honestly the guy couldn't and still can't just say something without sounding like an idiot and an asshole. >
  
  Capitalism and corruption will slowly kill every country. America is no different. >
  
  moderna is a business, and businesses exist for one reason:  to make as much money as they can get away with.  that's it.  there's nothing else.  
  moderna wouldn't have put one ounce of effort into developing the vaccine if they hadn't been guaranteed big profits.  
  why we continue to worship at the altar of big business is beyond me. >
  
  
  why we continue to worship at the altar of big business is beyond me.
  
  Because big business donates big money to sleazy politicians >
  
  Congress continue to be fools.
  Any Congressional money should be in exchange for equity which can be sold off whenever any company bailed out turns out around. >
  
  It's not only a way to deter people from getting vaccinated, but a way to give the fervent anti vaccine another reason to vilify vaccine makers, which will only help sustain the contrarianism and all the conspiracies that come along with this deranged ideology.
  The damage is done, even If most insurance plans end up covering the vaccine, it still looks bad, it's still negligence, it's still exploitative. >
  
  Because our corrupt politicians are getting their cut of that money >
  
  This is a deal. Read another company wants to raise the price 400%. >
  
  Publicize the cost, privatize the profit; it’s as American as apple pie. >
  
  Because “Money” that’s why. >
  
  Corporations aren't people, people have the capacity for compassion. >
  
  ‘Murica!! 🎇🎆💸🇺🇸🦅💸🎆🎇 >
  
  This is the case for many medications actually >
  
  thats just the way that capitalism works. the research for anything remotely useful within the past century has been publicly funded and immediately turned over to the private sector to rape and pillage the public for profit. its an american tradition >
  
  Because the American government is an arm of the corporate shareholder class, not the American people. >
  
  Because this is America, where corporate profits are more important than the lives of citizens. Get with the program Independent this ain't new. >
  
  Because the parasites in our government are the same parasites who are heavily invested in these corporations.
  of course they don't care about right or wrong. >
  
  I don’t know how this won’t lead to a massive increase in COVID cases down the road. People aren’t going to pay for this. >
  
  The government gave that money to the existing medical and research corporations to fix a problem. And now they’re double-dipping because that’s money nobody is going to miss. It’s not YOUR money, our MY money, it’s OUR money. It should be free or very close to free. 
  Medical industry is run by money. Don’t get sick and go to the hospital because then you’ll have a bill that introduces just as much suffering as the illness you had, often times even moreso. 
  Healthcare shouldn’t be costly and unregulated to allow for this kind of predatory price gouging when it comes to human health and life-saving or life-altering treatments. 
  But this is just one Reddit comment in a sea and at the end of the day isn’t going to change anything. What will is the collective voice demanding free healthcare. We must reward our doctor and nurses with heavy financial compensation, but more than not, those profits go to business execs and other high-up stakeholders. It’s ruining our system. >
  
  Because the system is broken maybe!? 😏 >
  
  Socialism when developing it, capitalism when selling it. >
  
  U.S spent about 2.5B. This number is very inflated. >
  
  Freedom >
  
  Trickle down freedom >
  
  Our rating: Missing context
  The U.S. government has given Moderna Therapeutics about $2.5 billion, including federal grants for university research, for the development of the company's vaccine and to purchase doses once approved. To say that the vaccine is fully funded by the federal government discounts a small but very real private donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Based on our research, we rate the claim MISSING CONTEXT. >
  
  The politicians bought stock in the companies before authorizing the money. Now they want paid for the support! >
  
  Would it be worthwhile for the government to continue investing in different types of Covid vaccines? I’m not sure this mRNA technology is the solution. >
  
  mRNA vaccine based technology is incredible and it can be rapidly altered for other infectious diseases.  If scientists can find a protein based target on a virus especially if it is one that does not undergo significant mutation, it is an easy vector to prime the immune system. Having the body produce a protein that can be a learning tool is also ideal when you are talking about something like cancer.  If we can train the immune system to identify specific types of cancer and even the subsets of those cancers, therapy can be directly synthesized without risking all of the nasty side effects that come with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  They are already testing it on multiple types of cancer and it also has the potential to treat HIV, several clinical studies are going right now and are showing some promise. >
  
  It may be very useful for other purposes, just not for viruses. Then again maybe no form of vaccine will be especially useful for Covid. >
  
  mRNA vaccines are more effective for viruses than conventional vaccines because they can stimulate cellular immunity unlike other vaccines. >
  
  Socialize the cost
  Privatize the profits >
  
  If Biden can cap insulin he should be able to cap this. The only reason I can see this is because the damn insurance companies are willing to pay for it.
  I went to the doctor a week ago and my 15 minute visit, which didn't include any tests whatsoever, was $192. Thankfully Medicare covered it but Medicare and United Healthcare should be telling doctors to fuck off with their insane billing practices. The entire medical industry gets away with so much shit because the insurance industry allows it. >
  
  If you need to ask, you already guessed the answer... >
  
  They can't charge for Trumps Operation Warp Speed Vaccine. >
  
  Greed. >
  
  Because we live in an oligarchy - we live under corporate rule. Tax dollars pay for the development of new pharma and technology - then government gives it to the Fortune 100 who sell it back to us for hysterical profit. Folk - it's time to organize and reclaim our government. All rise! >
  
  And they’re doing everything they can to convince us that everyone over 6 months old needs to get this every year for the rest of our lives. P.S. I’m not anti-vax. Just sayin’. >
  
  Tax payers owns it.  Not them. >
  
  The more you charge per jab, the more you make per jab but the fewer you sell. It's a rather complex function to determine how many have to remain unvaccinated to optimize your profit yield. But it's a well travelled path so of course the computer spits out this amount.
  The damage to the public health of this approach? Why would they worry about that? They're a business.
  Which is the problem with relying on businesses to provide resources essential to public health. >
  
  Didn't bill gates convince Oxford not to give away their vaccine for free. 
  Seems like the billionares and the governments are in kahoots. So weird, ohh well... >
  
  Not only that.
  Moderna is planning to sue their competitors for pattern infringement. >
  
  My was question exactly!