I have avoided talking about this topic for a long time. Not because I didn’t want to, but because it is so insidious that merely touching on it attracts censorship. But as time passes and the dust begins to settle, we have a responsibility to reflect on what happened, because if we don’t, it will happen again.
Let’s take a step back to early 2020 when the world was locked down, and patients were dying. Hospitals were overwhelmed, governments were scrambling for solutions, and Big Pharma saw an opportunity.
The Science: What Should Have Been Prioritized?
In June 2020, the RECOVERY trial conducted in the UK provided definitive proof that dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid, reduced mortality in severe COVID-19 patients. It was immediately adopted into standard treatment protocols across the world. Dexamethasone cost $1 to $2 per dose and saved lives.
At the same time, remdesivir, an antiviral drug developed by Gilead Sciences, was being promoted aggressively. Clinical trials showed that remdesivir did NOT reduce mortality—it merely shortened hospital stays by about four days. It was also expensive, costing $2,340 to $3,120 per course.
Common sense would dictate that a life-saving drug should take priority over a drug that had no impact on survival. But that’s not what happened.
The Money Trail: Who Profited?
Here’s where things get disturbing:
The U.S. government stockpiled remdesivir, purchasing billions of dollars’ worth of the drug.
Hospitals received a 20% Medicare bonus payment for using remdesivir under the CARES Act.
Remdesivir sales generated over $15 billion for Gilead Sciences between 2020 and 2024.
Meanwhile, dexamethasone had no financial incentives for hospitals or pharmaceutical companies.
Despite its lack of mortality benefit, remdesivir remained the dominant treatment in the United States, while dexamethasone, the proven life-saver, was underutilized. In the UK, where healthcare is publicly funded and profit was not the primary driver, dexamethasone became the frontline treatment, and remdesivir saw far less use.
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The Role of Lobbying and Policy Manipulation
Gilead Sciences spent $2.45 million on lobbying in 2020 alone. That same year, remdesivir received full FDA approval, despite the WHO Solidarity Trial concluding that it provided no survival benefit. The financial incentives baked into government reimbursement structures ensured that hospitals prioritized an expensive, ineffective drug over a cheap, effective one.
The Consequences: Who Paid the Price?
Patients died who could have been saved. Up to 20% of severe COVID-19 patients in U.S. hospitals did not receive dexamethasone, even though it was available and recommended.
Hospitals operated under a profit-driven model, where reimbursement rates, not patient outcomes, dictated treatment choices.
The integrity of public health policy was compromised, as financial incentives took precedence over scientific evidence.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for the Future
This was not just about remdesivir, it was about how corporate influence corrupts medical decision-making. If billions can be made from an ineffective treatment, what’s stopping it from happening again? The same forces that drove the remdesivir debacle are shaping policies on new treatments today.
How Do We Prevent This From Happening Again?
Eliminate financial incentives that distort medical decision-making. Treatments should be prioritized based on scientific merit, not profit potential.
Demand transparency in government drug purchasing. No more backroom deals that benefit pharmaceutical companies at the expense of public health.
Encourage independent, publicly funded research. Studies like the RECOVERY trial proved their worth by prioritizing lives over corporate interests.
Hold policymakers and healthcare institutions accountable. If financial incentives led to unnecessary deaths, there must be consequences.
A Call to Awareness
I hesitated to write this because the implications are painful to accept. If we allow profit-driven medicine to dictate health policies, we are complicit in a system that values money over lives.
If this article resonates with you, share it. Spread awareness. And most importantly, demand better.
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