The price of a drug should be based on its therapeutic benefits – not just what the market will bear

'Orphan drugs' with high price points are being tested as treatments for COVID-19. There's a better way to spur low-cost innovation for new drugs.

Nicole Hassoun, Professor of Philosophy, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
Jan. 13, 2021 • ~9 min
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The top scientific breakthrough for 2020 was understanding SARS-CoV-2 and how it causes COVID-19 – and then developing multiple vaccines

The development of multiple vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19 has been hailed as the breakthrough of 2020. But there were many more supporting discoveries that made this possible.

David Pride, Associate Director of Microbiology, University of California San Diego • conversation
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~11 min

 innovation  genome  covid-19  immune-system  pandemic  vaccines  sars-cov-2  remdesivir  drug-development  monoclonal-antibodies  astrazeneca  pfizerbiontech-vaccine  moderna-vaccine  pfizer-vaccine

What monoclonal antibodies are – and why we need them as well as a vaccine

Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic molecules manufactured in the lab. But do we need them if a vaccine is on its way?

Rodney E. Rohde, Professor Clinical Laboratory Science, Texas State University • conversation
Nov. 16, 2020 • ~9 min

 covid-19  pandemic  sars-cov-2  remdesivir  viruses  antibody  steroids  monoclonal-antibodies  convalescent-plasma  dexamethasone

Death rates have fallen by 18% for hospitalized COVID–19 patients as treatments improve

Death rates for hospitalized COVID-19 patients fell from 25.6% in March to 7.6% in August, according to a new study on three hospitals in New York. A study in the U.K. found similar results.

Monica Gandhi, Professor of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Nov. 3, 2020 • ~6 min
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Sketchy darknet websites are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic – buyer beware

The global pandemic has fueled illicit online sales of COVID-19 commodities, some of which are dangerous or illegal. Researchers are assessing the size and reach of this underground market.

David Maimon, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University • conversation
Aug. 19, 2020 • ~7 min
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Ending the pandemic will take global access to COVID-19 treatment and vaccines – which means putting ethics before profits

The high cost of pharmaceuticals often means only the richest patients get lifesaving medicines. As coronavirus drugs emerge, it will require hard, creative work to ensure they're available to all.

Nicole Hassoun, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
July 16, 2020 • ~9 min
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Which drugs and therapies are proven to work, and which ones don't, for COVID-19?

During the last six months, news reports have mentioned dozens of drugs that may be effective against the new coronavirus. Here we lay out the evidence and reveal which ones are proven to work. Or not.

William Petri, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia • conversation
July 1, 2020 • ~7 min
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Coronavirus: scientists promoting chloroquine and remdesivir are acting like sports rivals

A simple head-to-head trial would resolve this conflict once and for all.

Jeremy Howick, Director of the Oxford Empathy Programme, University of Oxford • conversation
May 11, 2020 • ~7 min
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Remdesivir explained – what makes this drug work against viruses?

Gilead's drug Remdesivir showed preliminary positive results in clinical trials. But what is this drug and how, exactly, does it work?

Katherine Seley-Radtke, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and President-Elect of the International Society for Antiviral Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
May 6, 2020 • ~10 min
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Coronavirus: could the pandemic be controlled using existing vaccines like MMR or BCG?

Vaccines for other diseases are being examined for their protective effects against coronavirus.

Sarah L Caddy, Clinical Research Fellow in Viral Immunology and Veterinary Surgeon, University of Cambridge • conversation
April 21, 2020 • ~5 min
covid-19 coronavirus vaccines remdesivir

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