The Biden administration has called on Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax to price their updated Covid vaccines at a “reasonable” rate when they become available in the US this fall. The US Department of Health and Human Services stressed that excessive pricing would exploit the trust placed in the manufacturers by the American people throughout the Covid-19 response.
None of the three manufacturers have disclosed the exact prices of their upcoming single-strain vaccines, which are being developed to target the circulating omicron subvariant XBB.1.5. However, earlier this year, Pfizer and Moderna indicated that they expect to price their shots between $110 and $130 per dose, a substantial increase compared to current prices for existing vaccines. This estimate has faced criticism from lawmakers, who have pointed out the significant profits made by these companies and their executives during the pandemic.
The pricing of the vaccines will be crucial in the fall as Covid vaccine distribution is expected to shift from the government to the commercial market. Consequently, the manufacturers will sell their updated shots directly to healthcare providers. Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax have expressed their readiness to supply the vaccines in a timely manner.
The US government expects the manufacturers to collaborate with payors, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to ensure necessary coverage information is provided for the updated shots in the fall. The Department of Health and Human Services advised the manufacturers to plan their regulatory applications to the US Food and Drug Administration in order to receive approval.
To assist uninsured Americans in covering the costs of the updated shots, federal and corporate programs, including the Biden administration’s HHS Bridge Access Program, will be implemented. Pfizer and Moderna are also planning to launch patient assistance programs. However, details of these efforts are still to be determined.
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