Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden has recently broken ranks with his party by not expressing support for, if elected, using the president's authority under the Bayh-Dole Act, which created "procedures for private companies to patent inventions built upon government-funded research, [although] it created a safety valve allowing the government to break such patents when companies fail to satisfy the health and safety needs of consumers." And with the absence of language in the House-passed emergency coronavirus funding bill to force drug companies to make coronavirus vaccines affordable, it is important that the president, whoever it may be next year, when a vaccine will likely be ready, uses this authority to make sure that all Americans can afford one. However, Biden has yet to come out in support of doing such should he be elected to the presidency. Why?
Well, first off, the pharmaceutical industry has lobbied against the president taking such action. This is important because Biden is the top recipient of money from the pharmaceutical industry out of all 2020 presidential candidates, taking over $1.3 million. Additionally, one of the leaders of Unite the Country, a super PAC supporting the former vice president, is Rasky Partners CEO Larry Rasky. This lobbying firm's clients include pharmaceutical companies. Biden has also received large donations from Roche Holding AG lobbyist Brian McKeon ($2,175), Pfizer lobbyist Robert Raben ($1,000), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America lobbyist Rick Desimone ($250), and family members of fellow Pfizer lobbyist Thomas A. Scully ($2,000). Plus, First State PAC, which is affiliated with Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), has contributed $5,000 to Biden's campaign. The PAC's contributors include $1,000 each from Amgen lobbyist Vic Fazio and Roche Holding AG lobbyist Sarah Walter, as well as $500 from Pfizer lobbyist Gordon Taylor. Another PAC, Sen. Bob Casey's (D-PA) Keystone PAC, which received $5,000 from fellow Pfizer lobbyist Brian Arthur Pomper, donated another $5,000 to the Biden campaign.
Given his campaign's prominent support from the pharmaceutical industry, it makes sense as to why Biden would not support a measure to save lives and prevent more Americans from contracting the coronavirus. In times of crisis like this, it is important that those in power take serious action to prevent something like it from happening again. As Biden's donors tell us, he is not that leader.
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