Covid-19 vaccines: Combatting the crooked global pharmaceutical industry: Fighting Covid-19 requires fewer patents and more state – Piergiuseppe Fortunato

On March 17th 2020, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer officially partnered with Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech), a spinoff of the Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz. The partnership was to accelerate a potential first-in-class Covid-19 vaccine (BNT162), using not attenuated or deactivated virus but a strand of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to produce, and engender immunity against, the virus’ spike protein.

On March 17th 2020, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer officially partnered with Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech), a spinoff of the Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz. The partnership was to accelerate a potential first-in-class Covid-19 vaccine (BNT162), using not attenuated or deactivated virus but a strand of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to produce, and engender immunity against, the virus’ spike protein.

The vaccine was expected to enter clinical testing by the end of the following month. At that point, it had already been almost entirely developed by the small German immunotherapy company. What Pfizer brought to the alliance was essentially funds for the clinical trials and commercial capabilities.

Pfizer, along with the rest of the industry, has been lobbying to stop a temporary waiver of IPR, endorsed by the current US administration under Joe Biden, to allow generic Covid-19 vaccines to be distributed at low cost in the global south. Instead, the industry is asserting monopoly rights in all those developing economies that ratified the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which came into force back in 1995—even at the cost of delaying Covid-19 immunisation worldwide.

Patenting vaccines (and drugs) is particularly problematic, since public research irrigation is preponderant and large companies typically come into play only in the phase of clinical trials, right before patenting, usually when the resources to be invested exceed the financial capacities of small inventors. The pricing of the patented products, however, does not internalise the contribution by other actors, including public institutions, or public-health objectives (such as global immunisation in the case of Covid-19), since the IPR system has not been designed to do so. On the contrary, being subject to intense lobbying and regulatory capture by large companies, the system is often abused and high prices persist, granting to the privileged holders profits not justifiable by their contribution.

This is as socially inequitable as it is economically inefficient—its inadequacy dramatically exposed by the pandemic. Vaccines developed with substantial public contributions are generating hundreds of billions of dollars in sales for the pharmaceutical companies, while the coronavirus is still ravaging poorer nations which cannot afford immunisation.

The vaccine was expected to enter clinical testing by the end of the following month. At that point, it had already been almost entirely developed by the small German immunotherapy company. What Pfizer brought to the alliance was essentially funds for the clinical trials and commercial capabilities.

This is as socially inequitable as it is economically inefficient—its inadequacy dramatically exposed by the pandemic. Vaccines developed with substantial public contributions are generating hundreds of billions of dollars in sales for the pharmaceutical companies, while the coronavirus is still ravaging poorer nations which cannot afford immunisation.

Read the complete report at Fighting Covid-19 requires fewer patents and more state – Piergiuseppe Fortunato

The Netherlands : PM Rutte Asks Citizens to Work From Home, Lifting Lockdown an 'Error Of Judgement' - Zoe Strozewski

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte asked citizens to return to working at home as the Netherlands has seen a surge in COVID-19 infection rates, the Associated Press reported. Case numbers rose quickly in the country after the Dutch government loosened lockdown restrictions in June, even permitting nightclubs to reopen.

Read more at: The Netherlands Asks Citizens to Work From Home, Lifting Lockdown an 'Error Of Judgement'

China - Netherlands relations: China Wants a Chip Machine From the Dutch. The U.S. Said No._ "Is this US Interference in a foreing country's trade policies ?"

Beijing has been pressuring the Dutch government to allow its companies to buy ASML Holding ASML -2.35% NV’s marquee product: a machine called an extreme ultraviolet lithography system that is essential to making advanced microprocessors.

The one-of-a-kind, 180-ton machines are used by companies including Intel Corp. INTC -1.51% , South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. and leading Apple Inc. supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to make the chips in everything from cutting-edge smartphones and 5G cellular equipment to computers used for artificial intelligence.

China wants the $150-million machines for domestic chip makers, so smartphone giant Huawei Technologies Co. and other Chinese tech companies can be less reliant on foreign suppliers. But ASML hasn’t sent a single one because the Netherlands—under pressure from the U.S.—is withholding an export license to China.

The Biden administration has asked the government to restrict sales because of national-security concerns, according to U.S. officials. The stance is a holdover from the Trump White House, which first identified the strategic value of the machine and reached out to Dutch officials.

Washington has taken direct aim at Chinese companies like Huawei and has also tried to convince foreign allies to restrict the use of Huawei gear, over spying concerns that Huawei says are unfounded. The pressure aimed at ASML and the Netherlands is different, representing a form of collateral damage in a broader U.S.-China tech Cold War.

Read more at: China Wants a Chip Machine From the Dutch. The U.S. Said No. - WSJ

EU:,Europe floods: Death toll over 110 as rescues continue

At least 110 people have died in devastating floods across parts of western Germany and Belgium, officials said Friday, as rescue operations and the search for hundreds still unaccounted for

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The Netherlands:Coronavirus cases in the Netherlands surge more than 800% in one week

The Netherlands reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, an eightfold increase when compared to last week after most restrictions were lifted despite the rise of the fast-spreading Delta variant.

The National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said 10,345 new cases were reported on Saturday, the biggest one-day increase since December 25. This compares to 1,146 new cases on the same day last week.

Read more at: Coronavirus cases in the Netherlands surge more than 800% in one week - BNO News

The Netherlands: Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez Celebrate Honeymoon in the Netherlands

Almost exactly two months after tying the knot in an intimate ceremony, Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are now celebrating married life with the obvious next step: their honeymoon.

The pair might have married quietly at home but, this time, they’ve decided to cross the pond. On July 11, the Positions singer took to Twitter to share a photo dump from what appears to be the newlyweds’ honeymoon trip to the Netherlands. (In case there were any doubts about the location of the pictures, Ari captioned her post with a snail and a waffle emoji.)

Read more at: Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez Celebrate Honeymoon in the Netherlands – See Photos

The Netherlands: 60 Minutes+ explores how Netherlands is driving a "food revolution"

In the future, what will our food look and taste like, and how will it be farmed? CBS News 60 Minutes+ correspondent Seth Doane joins Anne-Marie Green on "CBSN AM" to preview his story about one country devoted to figuring out how to feed the world's growing population, without destroying the planet in the process.

Read more at: 60 Minutes+ explores how Netherlands is driving a "food revolution" - CBS News