Politics
- Germany is furious about reports that Donald Trump offered German scientists "a billion dollars" for exclusive rights to a coronavirus vaccine to be used "only for the USA."
- The German government said the reports were accurate.
- "Germany is not for sale," economy minister Peter Altmaier told broadcaster ARD on Sunday.
- However, the Trump administration said claims that the US would not share the vaccine had been "wildly overplayed."
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German ministers have reacted furiously to attempts by Donald Trump's administration to reportedly buy exclusive rights to a potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German firm.
According to an explosive report in German newspaper, WELT am Sonntag, which cited German government sources, the Trump administration offered a "billion dollars" to secure exclusive rights to the coronavirus vaccine it is developing, "but only for the USA."
The German health ministry told Reuters that the report was accurate: "We confirm the report in the WELT am Sonntag," a spokesperson said.
Following the report, Germany's foreign minister Heiko Mass insisted on Sunday that the government would not allow Trump to push ahead with his plan.
"German researchers play a leading role in drug and vaccine development and we cannot allow others to seek exclusive results," he told media group Funke.
"Germany is not for sale," economy minister Peter Altmaier told broadcaster ARD on Sunday, according to AFP.
Karl Lauterbach, a senior German politician and professor of health economics and epidemiology, tweeted in response to the story: "The exclusive sale of a possible vaccine to the USA must be prevented by all means. Capitalism has limits."
A US official told AFP on Sunday that the report was "wildly overplayed," and denied any vaccine would be exclusive to the US.
"We will continue to talk to any company that claims to be able to help. And any solution found would be shared with the world," the spokesperson said.
Florian von der Muelbe, CureVac's chief production officer and co-founder, told Reuters last week that the company hoped to have an experimental vaccine ready by June or July so they could seek permission to start testing on humans.
He said a low-dose vaccine that the company hoped to develop could make it suitable for mass production within CureVac's existing facilities.
In a statement last week, CureVac said that outgoing chief executive Daniel Menichella had been invited to the White House for a meeting with President Trump to discuss strategies and opportunities for the production of a coronavirus vaccine.
"We are very confident that we will be able to develop a potent vaccine candidate within a few months," Menichella said in a statement.
CureVac denied "rumors of an acquisition" in a March 15 statement. The firm said it has been in contact with many organizations and global authorities, but "abstains from commenting on speculations and rejects allegations about offers for the acquisition of the company or its technology."