Support for researchers working to find a COVID-19 vaccine

I plan on voting this November for candidates whose focus is supporting the researchers and scientists working around the clock to find a COVID-19 vaccine. Our biopharmaceutical industry has invested an enormous amount of time, energy and resources into researching and developing a cure for COVID-19.

For every American, this work is essential; a vaccine stands to allow us to return to normalcy and reinvigorate our struggling economy. We cannot even begin to consider building back our economy without first successfully creating a vaccine. However, for patients who suffer from chronic illnesses and face increased threats in the wake of COVID-19, this vaccine would be lifesaving.

If our government were to better bolster the biopharmaceutical industry in the face of COVID-19, it could set a welcome precedent for patients. Expanded opportunities for research on diseases now could mean that more chronic illness patients have cures to look forward to in the future.

But in order to set this precedent, the government must not implement price setting; in that arena, it seems things may be too late as the White House signed the most favored nation executive order. I hope that lawmakers will stand for patients and speak out in opposition to this policy, which could serve as a deterrent to expanded biopharmaceutical innovation and directly threatens the health and future wellbeing of patients. We need research and a vaccine, not bad policies such as this.