To the Editor:
The following information is readily available regarding Pfizer:
1) Pfizer used its own R&D funds for the COV-19 vaccine (no Warp Speed funds for R&D were used by Pfizer);
2) the costs are ultimately borne by Pfizer stockholders. If the R&D costs are not recouped, Pfizer stockholders will take a loss as a decrease in the stock price. That would affect people, for example, with IRA’s, 401k’s and pension funds – possibly your friends, neighbors or maybe you?;
3) in July the USG contracted to buy the first 100 million doses from Pfizer;
4) at that time Pfizer offered the USG an additional 500 million doses but the USG turned down Pfizer’s offer;
5) after the USG turned down the additional 500 million doses, Pfizer offered the doses to our Allies in the EU; and
5) then USG then subsequently contracted for an additional 500 million doses. The USG will receive those 500 million doses after Pfizer supplies the USG with the initial contracted 100 million doses and our Allies in the EU with the contracted 500 million doses.
The cost of approximately $20 a dose is first being borne by the USG (just as with EU Governments) and ultimately their taxpayers as is the case for all government spending. If the USG and Pfizer had not agreed to ‘this deal’, then Pfizer could have sold the vaccine through distributors (price mark-up) and retailer’s (price mark-up), health insurance companies (price mark-up) and finally the consumer ultimately paying. That is how it works in the US and other countries absent socialized health care. But that didn’t happen because the USG, Pfizer, Health Insurance Companies and Retailer’s (CVS / Walgreens) all worked in the public interest and forewent additional profits because there is a global pandemic. Hopefully, with the foregoing facts, you do not still believe that something stinks and are not feeling as crazy because of belief you were duped? You may have some of those emotions with regard to the current U.S. Administration not contracting to buy all the first 600 million doses. Now U.S. citizens are short doses they could have had and will have to wait until after the first 600 million doses are produced to receive more doses. But, that is a different issue.
Randal Larson
Village of Country Club Hills
