Ashoka
Shots In The Dark: Why Access To A Covid-19 Vaccine Isn’t Guaranteed
Ten months in, there are more than 8 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the U.S. and over 40 million cases worldwide, adding new urgency to the search for a vaccine. But as the pandemic continues to rage unabated, structural weaknesses in how we research, develop, and distribute medicines have come into sharp relief, raising questions about who will be able to access an eventual vaccine. Priti Krishtel, co-founder of I-MAK, sat down with Ashoka to discuss myths and reality in America’s quest for immunity.
Ashoka insight
The problem we’re facing isn’t finding a vaccine for Covid. It’s building a system that allows us to respond effectively not just to this pandemic, but to the next one and the next one. If we address the drivers of lack of access — things like high drug prices and inequities in the medicines system — then we can ensure that treatments for cancer, diabetes, and a whole host of other diseases are accessible to people who need them.