How global nationalism could undermine the effort to develop a COVID-19 vaccine

Teh_Lurv · Jul 7, 2020

Politico published an article that looks at the efforts by nations competing against each other to be the first to produce a COVID-19 vaccine; and warnings that national leaders' desire for bragging rights and fear that another nation will win the race may ultimately undermine the effort to produce a safe, effective vaccine.

In June, Germany paid a whopping sum for a large stake in German drugmaker CureVac, which was developing a Covid-19 vaccine. Piontek was shocked. "Why CureVac?" he thought. The company's vaccine is based on promising but untried and untested technology and its manufacturing capacities are limited. But, months earlier, the American president had insulted German pride by musing about paying CureVac to relocate to the United States. The offer, first reported in the German press under the headline "Trump vs. Berlin," set off outrage in the Bundestag, elicited cries of "Germany is not for sale!" and led the government to shell out 300 million euros for 23 percent of the firm—an unprecedented move.

The strange fate of CureVac shows just how much national pride is defining the lines of the global race for the Covid-19 vaccine. While scientists try to collaborate across national boundaries, national leaders are caught up in an old-fashioned game of one-upmanship—a competition that is driving, and in some cases complicating, the most consequential medical challenge of the 21st century. Public health experts say we should be worried.

Patriotic competitions, however, have dark sides. Friendly races can spur scientists to innovate better and faster, but experts in public health, biotech and national security see many ways today's vaccine nationalism might backfire. It can scramble priorities and lead to bad bets, as Piontek fears. It can goad countries to cheat and take shortcuts, ultimately rolling back progress. A "me first" attitude can also undermine global health. "The danger in vaccine nationalism is that it's not a race to the top, and of sharing, but it's some sort of zero-sum game," warns Ian Goldin, a professor of globalization and development at Oxford University. "That's what we need to guard against."

Loncar doesn't see much of a way out. "One thing that the whole Covid-19 event has taught the world is how important biotech is to society," he says. From now on, "governments are going to view their biotech industries as a component of national security."

The "unprecedented" CureVac investment, he says, is just the beginning of a new era of global competition.

The Dangerous Race for the Covid Vaccine

The international competition for a coronavirus vaccine harkens back to the golden age of Edison and the Wright Brothers. But excesses of national pride and one-upmanship are threatening to overwhelm the common good.

www.politico.com

lazygecko · Jul 7, 2020

That's basically the overarching political trend right now. People are infatuated with this romanticized idea of strong individual nation states going at it on their own (alongside this very reductive notion of national sovereignty) for huge global problems that require deep international collaboration to tackle.

EloKa · Jul 7, 2020

The CureVac situation never had anything to do with a "national pride" or some kind of "global competition" or anything like that.
Trump tried to buy the company and make their potential vaccine exclusive to the US only and Germany bought stakes to ensure this theft is not going to happen.
The company has promised to still share its vaccine (if / once they got one) with the whole world. Yes, even with the US.

Most countries are aware that it's more efficient to work together instead of yelling some stupid MY COUNTRY FIRST slogan and go full on nationalism.

1.21Gigawatts · Jul 7, 2020

Whether its corona, climate change, or poverty.
Nationalism has nothing to contribute to the solution of any of the global problems humanity faces right now.
In fact, nationalism is detrimental to finding a solution.

Dogo Mojo · Jul 7, 2020

It won't be any natural disasters that take us out, it's going to be our own stupidity.

Keywork · Jul 7, 2020

But if all the nations work together to make a vaccine it will be a sign that there is a global government cabal led by the antichrist trying to inject a chip into me to be the Mark of the Beast!

[/s]

I joke, but this is honestly the view of evangelicals and QAnon crazies. I also have no doubt someone like Pompeo believes this as well as he is a strong believer in end times escahtology you find in books like the "Left Behind" series.

So like in other threads, VOTE!

ps3ud0 · Jul 7, 2020

EloKa said:
The CureVac situation never had anything to do with a "national pride" or some kind of "global competition" or anything like that.
Trump tried to buy the company and make their potential vaccine exclusive to the US only and Germany bought stakes to ensure this theft is not going to happen.
The company has promised to still share its vaccine (if / once they got one) with the whole world. Yes, even with the US.

Most countries are aware that it's more efficient to work together instead of yelling some stupid MY COUNTRY FIRST slogan and go full on nationalism.

I was going to say, I've not encountered any nationalism from Germans regards the development of a possible vaccine. It seems more that they want to avoid Trump making it exclusive to Americans only because he would.

I get the feeling the sentiment in the story is largely a projection of how America/Trump are dealing with this rather than other nations trying to develop treatment/vaccines.

1.21Gigawatts said:
Whether its corona, climate change, or poverty.
Nationalism has nothing to contribute to the solution of any of the global problems humanity faces right now.
In fact, nationalism is detrimental to finding a solution.

Well said!

ps3ud0 8)

How global nationalism could undermine the effort to develop a COVID-19 vaccine

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