Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a bipartisan coalition in sending a letter request to the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging them to use their legal authority under the Bayh-Dole Act to increase the availability of the prescription drug, remdesivir.
Remdesivir, a drug manufactured by Gilead Sciences Inc. (Gilead), has shown promising results in reducing mortality and hospitalization from COVID-19.
Remdesivir is an FDA fast-tracked antiviral drug that was produced with the benefit of millions of dollars of federal funding and the time and expertise of CDC and military scientists. Despite the substantial federal funding provided to its manufacturer, Gilead has been unable to assure a supply of remdesivir sufficient to alleviate the health and safety needs of the country amid the pandemic.
“Mounting scientific data is showing that remdesivir can benefit those battling COVID-19, and the federal government should want to do everything in its power to ensure it is accessible to all who need it,” said Nessel.
In the letter, the bipartisan coalition urges the federal government to exercise its rights under the Bayh-Dole Act, which allows the NIH and FDA to ensure Americans can afford and have reasonable access to a sufficient supply of remdesivir during this pandemic.
Despite a manufacturing cost of between $1 and $5, Gilead has set the price of the drug at $3,200 per treatment course.
Under the Bayh-Dole Act, the NIH and FDA has the authority to license remdesivir to third-party manufacturers to scale up production and distribution and ensure the drug is made available to all those in need at a reasonable price.
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