Funny how US media write 'Pfizer' and EU media write 'Biontech'. Patriotism, probably. Or for Reuters, maybe Brexit!? What's it usually called in Asian, South American, or African media?
'Pfizer/Biontech' or 'Biontech/Pfizer' is just too long!
'Pfizer/Biontech' or 'Biontech/Pfizer' is just too long!
I haven’t even heard people discuss the ‘where’ when getting the vaccine they just want one of the more effective vaccines (be it Moderna or Pfizer- Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca are possibly just as effective but that’s hard to communicate and still being studied).
I think either way is probably fine, both companies are sharing the costs and profits equally.
Imagine if instead of Solyndra, the money went to GE or something. The project still failed, the government still lost the money. But it's a lot easier to sell "We gave the money to this well known company, the project failed, it happens" even though the result is exactly the same.
And it’s Bion-tech.
Apple is a customer of TSMC - they pay for fab time to create a specific component they need for their devices. Pfizer and biontech however are splitting the development costs and sharing the profits. That is a very different relationship.
This America first thing is becoming really annoying for the rest of the world. Germany and the EU funded much of the vaccine's development. It's the EU who is supplying the world with vaccines. The US only stand out by blocking exports.
If this were not the case why is it that the EU vaccine rollout has been dismal compared to the US and UK? It’s because they don’t have the negotiating power that comes with having what is actually in demand - production capacity.
Because both do not export any vaccine. And the EU does. So even Canada cannot get vaccines from the US and gets it from the EU which exported about half its production outside the EU. Some even went to the US.
Partnering with Pfizer was done because the BioNtech CEO knew people at Pfizer from before. If they would’ve chosen e.g. Bayer (which is what CureVac did) the story of would’ve been different.
Blatantly Untrue - the US has directly exported vaccine to both Canada and Mexico and it’s companies are producing huge amounts of vaccine worldwide for over 70 countries right now. The UK has fallen short of its export commitments but that is a far cry from ‘do not export any vaccine’.
Again though this just comes back to leverage, the EU and it’s properties generally lack what is in demand: production capacity. That is why we have the short end of the stick right now, blaming everyone but ourselves only fans flames unnecessarily.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/11/2020-27...
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to ensure Americans have priority access to free, safe, and effective COVID-19 vaccines. After ensuring the ability to meet the vaccination needs of the American people, it is in the interest of the United States to facilitate international access to United States Government COVID-19 Vaccines.