Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Announces Deal To Buy 100M Doses Of Moderna's Vaccine
The Hill: Trump Announces Deal With Moderna For 100 Million Doses Of Potential Vaccine
The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it has reached a deal with the biotechnology company Moderna for 100 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine. The agreement is for about $1.5 billion, meaning the government is paying about $15 per dose, and the vaccine will then be given to patients for free. The Trump administration has made several other similar deals as it provides funding for multiple potential vaccines, with the hope of having one ready to begin distributing by the end of the year. (Sullivan, 8/11)
In other Trump administration news —
Reuters: Hospitals, Expats Blast Trump Plan To Block U.S. Citizens Over Coronavirus
A Southern California-area hospital system, immigrant advocacy groups and Americans living in Mexico criticized on Tuesday a U.S. government draft proposal that could block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from entering the country if they are suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus. ... Chris Van Gorder, CEO of Scripps Health, which operates five hospitals in San Diego County, told Reuters the hospital system “would never endorse American citizens not being able to get the care they need.” (Cooke and Gottesdiener, 8/11)
Reuters: Kodak Raised Spending On Lobbying Government In Months Before Loan Awarded
Eastman Kodak Co (KODK.N) increased spending on lobbying the U.S. government in the months before the Trump administration announced a $765 million loan to the photographic equipment maker, public disclosures filed with the Congress show. The company spent $870,000 as "expense relating to lobbying activities" from April through June, according to the lobbying disclosures. Kodak had previously not spent any money on lobbying since an expense of less than $5,000 in the first quarter of 2019. (Singh, 8/11)
