Covid-19 Pandemic
 Here’s the latest news: Chinese doctors see new patterns in case cluster Europe keeps virus in check as lockdowns ease New York City misses goals in virus fight When old health fights become new again The Trump administration’s push to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the U.S. is a reminder that Washington is a place where issues can simmer for years, with familiar faces surfacing to fight old fights in new arenas.Indeed, an announcement from health officials on Tuesday about the award of a multimillion-dollar contract to make medications to address the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. called to mind long-raging debates over generic drug quality and prices. One person closely tied to the contract has been raising the alarm about risks posed by making drugs for Americans overseas for years. Rosemary Gibson, who wrote a book called “China Rx” about the pharmaceutical supply chain, sits on the board of Phlow Corp., which under the terms of the deal with the U.S. will make drugs for Americans on American soil. The echoes of past policy struggles didn’t end there. Phlow’s CEO is Eric Edwards, a co-founder of a pharmaceutical company called Kaleo Inc. Kaleo had attracted criticism in 2018 for boosting the price of its opioid-overdose antidote 600%, a move seen by some critics as drawing undue profit from a national public-health emergency. Not so long ago, drug pricing was a paramount health-care issue for the Trump administration. Both Democrats and Republicans have repeatedly pledged to tackle the problem, but have produced little new legislation of substance. With a pandemic raging, worry about drug pricing has ebbed, though that debate could make a ferocious comeback once the many vaccines and treatments drugmakers are working on for Covid-19 finally emerge from the laboratory.  Gary Disbrow, acting director of biomedical advanced research and development authority with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says he plans to boost investment in domestic drug manufacturing. Photographer: Andrew Harnik/AP Pool In the meantime, people who have worried about the fragility of the supply chain may finally have a moment where real action is possible. Phlow and U.S. policy makers both want to streamline drug manufacturing. Industry experts have said more efficient production techniques could help reduce labor costs, a key to curtailing America’s dependence on China and India for low-cost medications. Increased funds for domestic drug manufacturing are expected to flow from the government spigot. The U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority plans to make “substantial investments in this area,” Gary Disbrow, acting BARDA director, said in an e-mail. For the players in a recurring policy drama, a final curtain could be getting a little closer.—Anna Edney Listen up Latest Podcast: The True Origins of Covid-19 Bats? A lab? Wet market? Jason Gale talks to a World Health Organization scientist to tease out the most plausible explanation for where the virus originated.  Also see: What Hedge Funds Bought in the Pandemic Internet shopping sites like Amazon and work-from-home supplier Citrix are well known. But the list of winners is much longer than that. What you should read Unproven Covid Drug Is All the Rage in Brazil Bolsonaro is pushing for chloroquine’s use as cases jump. Moderna Vaccine Euphoria Lapses on Results Company offered $1.3 billion in shares after market Monday. Virus-Ailing Pubs See Long Recovery Socially distanced drinking poses big threat to brewers’ profits. Creepy Technologies Enter Post-Covid Offices Factories, workplaces deploy cameras, bracelets in virus fight. Homeschooling in the World’s Tiniest Apartments Hong Kong set to reopen schools after four-month closure. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg’s Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 |
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