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Was Trump justified to try to buy the rights to a COVID-19 vaccine?
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The German government tried to make a counter-offer

Trump has come under fire, but he's not the only world leader to try to monopolise the drug. Evidence suggests the German government had spoken to the same company about keeping the drug within its borders too.
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The Argument

The German government has confirmed reports that President Donald Trump offered German scientists a billion dollars for exclusive rights to a coronavirus vaccine. Additionally, the German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has reported that they intend to keep the development of such a vaccine within Germany and Europe as they fear the Trump administration's potential monopolization of the market. In other words, the German government stands firm in their belief that no country should have exclusive access to the vaccine— and allowing Trump to buy the rights to such a drug would do just that. [1] Although the main investor of CureVac— the company developing a coronavirus vaccine— attempted to distance himself from the rumors associated with both President Donald Trump and the German government explaining that if developed, they will share the vaccine in solidarity with the world.[2]

Counter arguments

The German government made no counteroffer. Instead, they were simply attempting to ensure that American President Donald Trump would not monopolize the coronavirus vaccine to use only for the lives of American citizens. Moreover, the German company in question— CureVac— has made no report of the German government making any sort of counteroffer. They have come forward to explain that they stand with the intentions of their nation's government in an effort to “help and protect patients worldwide.”[1] Even if there was evidence citing that the German government was to have made a counteroffer, their intentions are far too different than those expressed by American President Trump. While Trump was motivated by a belief of American superiority and profit, Germany would have been motivated by an “[interest] in ensuring that vaccines and active substances against the new coronavirus are also developed in Germany and Europe... no country should have exclusive access."[1] All of which is in line with their own values regarding a right to healthcare.

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/germany-coronavirus-curevac-vaccine-trump-rights/2020/03/15/8d684c68-6702-11ea-b199-3a9799c54512_story.html
  2. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-usa/germany-tries-to-stop-u-s-from-luring-away-firm-seeking-coronavirus-vaccine-idUSKBN2120IV
This page was last edited on Sunday, 28 Jun 2020 at 03:05 UTC

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