the coronavirus crisis
Trump is reportedly trying to lure a German company working on coronavirus vaccine exclusively to the U.S.
No one can fault President Trump for wanting Americans to have access to a coronavirus vaccine in the future, but Germany isn't pleased with the way he's reportedly trying to do it.
Per Reuters, Germany's health ministry confirmed a report from German Newspaper Welt am Sonntag that said Trump has offered funds to lure biopharmaceutical company CureVac, which is working on developing a vaccine for the new virus, from Germany to the United States. Welt am Sonntag quoted an anonymous German official who said Trump would do anything to get a vaccine, "but only for the United States."
A German health ministry official, meanwhile, said Berlin wants to make sure vaccines and other substances that could be used to fight off the coronavirus are developed in Germany and Europe, as well. Above all, the hope is to avoid exclusivity.
"The exclusive sale of a possible vaccine to the USA must be prevented by all means," tweeted Karl Lauterbach, a professor of health economics epidemiology and German lawmaker, in response to the report. "Capitalism has limits."
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. embassy in Berlin, and CureVac declined to comment, but the company's CEO Daniel Menichella met with Trump, Vice Presidnet Mike Pence, and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force earlier this month.
CureVac is narrowing its field of vaccine candidates, and hopes to begin testing in June or July. Read more at Reuters.