Health experts slam US hoarding of only licensed virus drug

LONDON (AP) — Health experts have slammed the U.S. decision to hog nearly the entire global supply of remdesivir, the only drug licensed so far to treat COVID-19, warning that type of selfish behaviour sets a dangerous precedent for attempts to share scarce treatments amid the pandemic. In a press release Tuesday, the U.S. government announced President Donald Trump had struck “an amazing deal” to buy the drug for Americans, which will virtually deplete global supplies for the next three months. Ohid Yaqub, a senior lecturer at the University of Sussex called it “disappointing news” and said the move could have a “chilling effect.” It is the only drug licensed by both the U.S. and the European Union as a treatment for severe COVID-19.