So much for global cooperation - edit: Martin, any news on this from inside Germany?

15 March 2020, 11:58 AM

First the Fed cuts interest rates last week after the G-7 call, but without discussing the decision with the others.

Now this.

quote:
Berlin is trying to stop Washington from persuading a German company seeking a coronavirus vaccine to move its research to the United States, prompting German politicians to insist no country should have a monopoly on any future vaccine.

Germany’s Health Ministry confirmed a report in newspaper Welt am Sonntag, which said President Donald Trump had offered funds to lure the company CureVac to the United States, and the German government was making counter-offers to tempt it to stay.

“The German government is very interested in ensuring that vaccines and active substances against the new coronavirus are also developed in Germany and Europe,” the newspaper quoted a Health Ministry official as saying.

“In this regard, the government is in intensive exchange with the company CureVac.”

Contacted by Reuters, a spokeswoman for the German Health Ministry said: “We confirm the report in the Welt am Sonntag.”

Welt am Sonntag quoted an unidentified German government source as saying Trump was trying to secure the scientists’ work exclusively, and would do anything to get a vaccine for the United States, “but only for the United States.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/1...seeking-vaccine.html

15 March 2020, 12:49 PM

jon-nyc

I can't make any sense out of the article.

Developing a vaccine in a country doesn't give that country 'a monopoly on a vaccine'.

The pharmaceutical industry doesn't work that way at all.

15 March 2020, 12:53 PM

wtg

I hear you, but that's what everyone is reporting.

https://www.reuters.com/articl...accine-idUSKBN2120IV

https://www.theguardian.com/us...-coronavirus-vaccine

Maybe our Martin or Klaus next door can translate the original article in Welt am Sonntag

15 March 2020, 01:03 PM

Piano*Dad

Because "everyone" (meaning most "reporters") haven't a clue, and the lazy ones don't talk to people who do have a clue.

15 March 2020, 01:07 PM

wtg

Deutsche Welle. Can we assume they may speak German and are translating the original article correctly?

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-...s-vaccine/a-52777990

At the risk of propagating fake news and also of being accused of TDS, I'll turn the question around. Is it possible that this is what Trump asked for, regardless of how things actually work? This is the guy who wanted to buy Greenland.

edit: Ading one more, FT.

https://www.ft.com/content/cf7...ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3

15 March 2020, 03:50 PM

CHAS

Trump wanted to develop it for the USA and charge the rest of the world $$$$ for it is what I have read and may be true.

15 March 2020, 04:04 PM

pianojuggler

So much winning.

15 March 2020, 10:13 PM

jon-nyc

From the NYT story:

According to the German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag, which first reported the story on Sunday, Mr. Trump offered CureVac roughly $1 billion in exchange for exclusive access to the vaccine. The newspaper quoted an unnamed German government source who said Mr. Trump wanted the resulting vaccine “only for the United States.”

But another German official, reached by The New York Times, said it was unclear whether the administration simply wanted the research work, and for any resulting production to be on American soil.

15 March 2020, 10:22 PM

Piano*Dad

Yet that wouldn't be worth $1B cash. And just how can a president use taxpayer money to "buy" a foreign firm?

15 March 2020, 11:31 PM

QuirtEvans

The same way he can buy Greenland!

16 March 2020, 01:03 PM

wtg

Martin, what are you hearing about this in Germany?

And how are you and your family doing during these crazy times?

16 March 2020, 04:10 PM

Daniel

Ah, I remember that. He wanted to buy Greenland. It so happened he had an invitation to the Danish court at the time. The invitation was cancelled. I think many of these things he says are pretty transparently jokes.

17 March 2020, 10:16 AM

Martin

Hello everybody,
me and family are doing fine. The Kids really embraced the prospect of 5 weeks of "holiday", and are now dissapointed because they are not allowed to meet friends (well, they are allowed to meet two friends exclusively). To make things worse, they got plenty of homework....

Stores recovering after quite a substantial amount of panic-buying. It´s still nearly impossible to get disinfectants.

Here goes the new story:
How do you recognize the country you are in, by panic- buying:
USA: Guns + ammunition
France: Wine + Condoms
Netherlands: Hashish + Cheese
Scotland: Whisky + Cookies
Germany: Flour + Toiletpaper

People are worried, but not really frightened, because - I hope - we are in a much better position to deal with this crisis than the poor north-italians. Testing seems to have started much earlier here, compared to Italy. We see a mortality of far below 1% here in Germany, compared to well over 3% there, which is attributable (I think) to two factors:
The german medical system is not overwhelmed (yet?)
We tested many more positive, but asymptomatic people.
All in all I think, that the "real" mortality is maybe even under 1%, if the pandemic is managed properly.

Concerning the alleged "exclusive" buying of CureVac: The former CEO of CureVac, Mr. Menichella met Mr. Trump in early march. The firm produces mRNA an carrier molecules. They said, that they would start testing a vaccine in June. After that rumors came, that Trump wanted to by the whole firm, and wanted the rights for the vaccine exclusively for the US. Cure Vac denied this, and shortly after, Mr. Menichella was fired... I would take all that with a pinch of salt.

Stay healthy, WTFs!
Martin