National
February 6, 2021
LAHORE: Global funding for COVID-19 vaccine development has exceeded 10 times in less than a year the amount allocated for HIV and TB research and development in 11 years.
“A staggering amount of $103.8 billion has been thrust into COVID-19 vaccine development within a period of just 11 months of 2020 as compared to a paltry $9.5 billion ($8.5 billion for HIV and $1billion for TB) for HIV and TB research and vaccine development during 11-year period from 2009 to 2019,” according to the statistical data compiled by Treatment Action Group (TAG-USA).
“According to KENUP Foundation, the governments, to-date, spent at least $111.6 billion on COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, 95 per cent of which went into coronavirus vaccine development alone. It betrays a whopping amount of $103.8 billion spent on COVID19 vaccine research and development alone,” says Mike Frick from TAG-USA quoting the latest statistics on R&D funding at a session titled “HIV &