CAMPAIGNERS accused pharmaceutical companies of selling “a false narrative” to the public about who paid for MRNA vaccines in the United States today.

Research published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday revealed that the US government invested at least $31.9 billion (£26.7bn) to develop, produce, and purchase MRNA Covid-19 vaccines.

People’s Vaccine Alliance (PVA) policy co-lead Mohga Kamal-Yanni said: “Pharmaceutical companies have sold a false narrative to the public; that it was their investment which gave us MRNA vaccines and that they deserve the $75bn (£62.7bn) profit made from Covid-19 vaccines. 

“In the US alone, taxpayers have poured $31.9bn (£26.7bn) into MRNA vaccines, including hundreds of millions before the pandemic.”

The PVA argues that without public investment, there would be no MRNA vaccines. But just three pharmaceutical companies have been handed monopolies by the US government on life-saving public science.

Ms Kamal-Yanni said: “Pharmaceutical companies cannot buy off the right to health. These are the people’s vaccines, and the technology behind them should be shared with the world.”

The PVA is a coalition of over 100 organisations and networks who campaign for vaccines, tests and treatments to be available free of charge.