Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduces Risk of Hospitalization/Death by ~50 Percent • Hacker News Board

Re: Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduces Risk of Hospitalization/Death by ~50 Percent

#291

Post by labawi » Sun, Oct 03, 2021, 11:11 AM UTC

parineum wrote: post #285

photochemsyn wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Merck didn't do the research, Emory did the research. Now, maybe you're thinking, would Merck finance the clinical trial of like 1000 people if they didn't get exclusive licensing right to the Emory-owned patent? Well, perhaps in a non-exclusive licensing situation, other pharma outfits, or a consortion, or how about the federal government? would pay for the clinical trials. I'd guess this situation - competitive man…

> or how about the federal government This is the answer I was fishing for. If you want the government to own the patents, they should do the work. If they outsource some of the work in exchange for the patents, perhaps the work that they are outsourcing is specialized and difficult for them to achieve.

Say you owned the patent, the research was solid, high likelihood it would work, but needed a 1000 patient phase 3 trial and whatever, that you can't and don't know how to do.

Would you "outsource"¹ the work for price of an exclusive right to make the drug? Would you ask for something in return?

Remember, it is we - the people - that have the right and resources, and in our name our representatives distribute them to researchers and make the deals with salesmen.

¹ more like sell the businness

* Personally not from US, wanted to show the framing. In any case, most research is an international effort, so maybe I shouldn't completely exclude myself.

Re: Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduces Risk of Hospitalization/Death by ~50 Percent

#292

Post by BobbyJo » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 11:50 AM UTC

labawi wrote: post #290

BobbyJo wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's 15%-20% we the taxpayers own then :)

By that logic, they would own a similar share of Papa John's, your corner grocery, and companies funded by VCs or banks instead of public funds. Then is the investment return fair? Do people kind-of get health and Merck gets their fleece?

> Then is the investment return fair.

That's a totally different conversation, and it has to start with what we mean when we say 'fair'. My definition is very likely different than yours in the context of taxes.

Re: Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduces Risk of Hospitalization/Death by ~50 Percent

#293

Post by mywittyname » Mon, Oct 04, 2021, 2:16 PM UTC

krainboltgreene wrote: post #262

mywittyname wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The FDA isn't immune to the same kind of corruption/conflicts of interest that impacts other federal agencies. Scott Gottlieb worked at the FDA at a high level, before leaving for a stint in the private sector which included being a partner in a VC fund which invested in many medical startups. He left that to become the commissioner of the FDA under the previous administration. Gottlieb is currently on the board of P…

> The FDA isn't immune to the same kind of corruption/conflicts of interest that impacts other federal agencies. Do you think there's only one organization in the world that could possibly study these things?

Doesn't matter. The USA is the key market for pharmaceuticals because of the outrageous prices that can be charged there. Example: Mylan charges $600 for an EpiPen that's $100 in other parts of the world, for no other reason than they can.

Re: Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduces Risk of Hospitalization/Death by ~50 Percent

#294

Post by logicalmonster » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 11:16 PM UTC

crooked-v wrote: post #288

logicalmonster wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Again, what are normal ICU levels? As far as I'm aware, ICU staffing is modified to achieve close to 100% capacity at all times with minimal spare beds, whether pre-Covid or post-Covid. If this is the case, then there's no scenario possible, regardless of what happens with Covid, where hospitals report anything but "few ICU beds are available".

Normal ICU levels are levels lower than "every available nurse and doctor is busy with ICU patients". It's really not that complicated. Under normal conditions capacity can usually scale to meet the needs of the local community. Under COVID conditions, all theoretical capacity is already taken by COVID patients.

Yet, healthcare systems are currently rushing to axe many thousands of unvaccinated healthcare workers. Don’t you think it sends mixed messages to be claiming that there’s such a dire shortage of ICU capacity on one hand, but to be letting so many fully capable healthcare workers go? (many of whom have already been exposed to Covid and have natural immunity anyway)