A $30 billion gamble: Pandemic expert calls for making Covid-19 vaccines before we know they work
There’s a one-word exit strategy for the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, which is crippling economies around the world: vaccines.
Political leaders and captains of industry know preventing Covid-19 infections is the only way to get the global economy back on its feet, said Richard Hatchett, CEO of an organization tailor-made to help spur the critical work of making vaccines. They also know, he said, that vaccine development will not be cheap.
Hatchett heads CEPI — the Oslo, Norway-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. By the third week of January, CEPI had already signed funding agreements with three groups racing to develop vaccines. Since then, its portfolio has grown to eight, with more on the way.
STAT asked Hatchett about the work in early February. Late last week, we spoke with him again to see how the effort is progressing. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
