US Drug-maker to Share Its COVID-19 Pill with Poor Countries
2021-10-28
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1American drug-maker Merck has agreed to let some companies produce its experimental COVID-19 pill.
2The move, announced Wednesday by a health organization supported by the United Nations, is aimed at helping people in poorer countries to get the drug.
3The Medicines Patent Pool, or MPP, said in a joint statement that the agreement will make the drug molnupiravir available "in 105 low- and middle-income countries."
4The drug also will need approval from local health officials.
5Under the agreement, the health agency is permitted to license qualified companies to manufacture the antiviral drug.
6Merck and its partners, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University in Georgia, will not receive money for sales of molnupiravir as long as the World Health Organization considers COVID-19 a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern."
7In early October, Merck reported that its experimental pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half among people infected with COVID-19 in a drug trial.
8The company is asking health officials in the United States and around the world to approve the pill for treatment of coronavirus infections.
9Pfizer and Roche, two other drug companies, are also working on similar COVID-19 pills.
10But molnupiravir could be the first pill approved for the treatment of COVID-19.
11A pill can be taken at home and is easier to send around the world.
12All other approved COVID-19 treatments must be injected by healthcare workers.
13Charles Gore is the Executive Director of MPP.
14He said early results of the drug were "compelling."
15Gore said the pill is an "important tool" to help deal with the current health crisis.
16He said he hoped the agreement will lead to others.
17The non-profit group Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, welcomed the agreement to share Merck's COVID-19 pill.
18 But it said the license "doesn't go far enough."
19Yuanqiong Hu is a senior legal and policy adviser with MSF.
20She said the license does not include nearly half of the world's population in countries like Brazil and China.
21The two also have "strong, established capacity to produce and supply antiviral medicines."
22Hu noted the license would also limit "the production and supply of more affordable and available generic molnupiravir."
23Merck said earlier that it could produce 10 million treatments of the pill this year.
24The treatment requires two pills a day for five days.
25The U.S. has already purchased 1.7 million treatments at the cost of $700 each.
26The company is also working with several Indian companies to license cheaper, generic versions of molnupiravir for low- and middle-income countries.
27Researchers at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health estimated that a generic version could cost less than $20 for each treatment.
28Last week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it would spend up to $120 million to help develop generic versions of molnupiravir.
29"To end this pandemic, we need to ensure that everyone, no matter where they live in the world, has access to life-saving health products," said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, in a statement.
30I'm Jonathan Evans.
1American drug-maker Merck has agreed to let some companies produce its experimental COVID-19 pill. 2The move, announced Wednesday by a health organization supported by the United Nations, is aimed at helping people in poorer countries to get the drug. 3The Medicines Patent Pool, or MPP, said in a joint statement that the agreement will make the drug molnupiravir available "in 105 low- and middle-income countries." The drug also will need approval from local health officials. 4Under the agreement, the health agency is permitted to license qualified companies to manufacture the antiviral drug. Merck and its partners, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University in Georgia, will not receive money for sales of molnupiravir as long as the World Health Organization considers COVID-19 a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." 5Pill awaiting approval 6In early October, Merck reported that its experimental pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half among people infected with COVID-19 in a drug trial. The company is asking health officials in the United States and around the world to approve the pill for treatment of coronavirus infections. 7Pfizer and Roche, two other drug companies, are also working on similar COVID-19 pills. But molnupiravir could be the first pill approved for the treatment of COVID-19. A pill can be taken at home and is easier to send around the world. All other approved COVID-19 treatments must be injected by healthcare workers. 8Charles Gore is the Executive Director of MPP. He said early results of the drug were "compelling." Gore said the pill is an "important tool" to help deal with the current health crisis. He said he hoped the agreement will lead to others. 9The non-profit group Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, welcomed the agreement to share Merck's COVID-19 pill. But it said the license "doesn't go far enough." 10Yuanqiong Hu is a senior legal and policy adviser with MSF. She said the license does not include nearly half of the world's population in countries like Brazil and China. The two also have "strong, established capacity to produce and supply antiviral medicines." 11Hu noted the license would also limit "the production and supply of more affordable and available generic molnupiravir." 12Cheaper generic version 13Merck said earlier that it could produce 10 million treatments of the pill this year. The treatment requires two pills a day for five days. The U.S. has already purchased 1.7 million treatments at the cost of $700 each. 14The company is also working with several Indian companies to license cheaper, generic versions of molnupiravir for low- and middle-income countries. Researchers at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health estimated that a generic version could cost less than $20 for each treatment. 15Last week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it would spend up to $120 million to help develop generic versions of molnupiravir. 16"To end this pandemic, we need to ensure that everyone, no matter where they live in the world, has access to life-saving health products," said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, in a statement. 17I'm Jonathan Evans. 18Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 19____________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21pill -n. a small, rounded object that you swallow and that contains medicine, vitamins 22license -n. a legal agreement that permits someone to do, use or manufacture something 23compelling -adj. capable of causing someone to believe or agree 24capacity -n. the amount of something that can be produced by a factory or company 25affordable -adj. able to pay for something 26generic -adj. not sold or made under a brand name; a lower-cost version of some basic product 27access -n. the ability to get something, enter a place or meet someone 28We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.