(2020-11-23). A People's Vaccine? Drugmakers Set to Profit from COVID Vaccines Made with Publicly Funded Research. democracynow.org 
With the world pinning its hopes on a successful coronavirus vaccine to curb the pandemic, corporate watchdogs say much of the research and development of the medicines rely on publicly funded research. "The investment in these vaccines, as for most drugs, has really been underwritten by the taxpayer, by the government," says Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.
(2020-11-23). Trump's Massive, Lawless, and Immoral Legacy to Our Country Will Continue Unless … counterpunch.org 
Trump has gotten away with almost everything throughout his bankruptcy-driven business career and his corrupt, cruel, and costly political years in the White House. Things changed on November 3, when he was retired by the voters.
(2020-11-23). Successful Not-for-Profit Oxford COVID Vaccine Threatens Big Pharma Profit Logic. thealtworld.com 
"The Oxford vaccine is… striking, since the point was to pay researchers, but not to rely on patent monopolies to generate large profits." — Economist Dean Baker | MPN— The world is abuzz today after a team of medical researchers from Oxford University in the United Kingdom
(2020-11-23). UK universities expose thousands of international students to raging pandemic. wsws.org Such are the horrendous conditions, with the Conservative government set to end its national lockdown on December 2, that many international students will contract this deadly disease.
(2020-11-23). As Racism Plagues Health Care, Unions Offer A Treatment. popularresistance.org Like many nursing homes across the country, the Genesis HealthCare center in Greenville, Rhode Island, primarily houses white residents and employs people of color. Adelina Ramos, who's Cape Verdean, works at the center as a certified nursing assistant and faces a number of challenges common to the caregiving profession. Each day, she cares for 11 dementia patients on her own, with that number sometimes rising to 18 if a co-worker can't come in. The job comes with long hours on her feet and the occasional risk of physical harm when dealing with aggressive patients.
(2020-11-23). New Report Finds that a "Delinquent Dozen" Pandemic Profiteers Failed Essential Workers and Forced Them to Risk Their Health, While Still Profiting Immensely. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-23). UNICEF planning 'mammoth operation' to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. news.un.org The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is working with more than 350 partners, including major airlines, shipping lines and logistics associations from around the world, to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to over 92 countries, as soon as doses become available, the agency said on Monday.
(2020-11-23). 'Real hope' surrounding COVID vaccines 'cannot be overstated' — WHO chief. news.un.org Along with other tried and tested public health measures, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) told journalists on Monday that "there is now real hope" that vaccines will play an essential part in helping end the COVID pandemic.
(2020-11-23). High Drug Prices Could Result in Premature Deaths of More Than 1.1 Million Seniors in Next Decade: Analysis. commondreams.org "The costs of doing nothing about high drug prices are too high." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-11-23). No time to waste, as Yemen inches towards famine: UN Children's Fund. news.un.org Raising alarm over "an imminent catastrophe" in war-ravaged Yemen, the head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated the urgent need for combatants to stop the fighting.
(2020-11-23). Mass opposition among healthcare workers as estimated deaths exceed 20,000. wsws.org Over 800 St. Mary's nurses in Pennsylvania returned to work on Sunday with no evidence of a contract deal, just one example of various unions strangling strikes as health care workers face death on a massive scale.
(2020-11-23). Covid controls will be needed through the winter, warns Hancock. thecanary.co Measures to control coronavirus will be needed through the winter despite the latest successful vaccine trials, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned. | Hancock said the success of the lockdown in reducing case numbers in England meant the country will be able to return to a tiered system of local restrictions from December 2 as planned. | However, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham warned continuing curbs on the hospitality sector in the worst-hit areas would have a "devastating" effect on many businesses. | Boris Johnson is due to set out details of the revised three-tier system of controls in a Commons s…
(2020-11-23). The Krugman Boom? Don't Count on It. counterpunch.org I have largely been in agreement with Paul Krugman in his assessment of the economy over the last dozen years or so, but I think in his latest column he let the promise of a post-Trump era get the better of him. Krugman notes that the distribution of effective vaccines should allow people to return
(2020-11-23). Drugmakers Will Profit Off COVID Vaccines Generated by Taxpayer-Funded Research. truthout.org With the world pinning its hopes on a successful coronavirus vaccine to curb the pandemic, corporate watchdogs say much of the research and development of the medicines rely on public funding. "The investment in these vaccines, as for most drugs, has really been underwritten by the taxpayer, by the government," says Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! The Quarantine Report. I'm Amy Goodma…
(2020-11-23). People of Color Need Healthier Food. progressive.org We have the power to improve health outcomes by addressing a root cause of racial health disparities.
(2020-11-23). National Congress of American Indians Calls on Insurance Companies to Adopt Free, Prior and Informed Consent Policies. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-23). Oxfam Reaction To Astrazeneca/Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Results. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-23). Iowa hospitals overwhelmed, Wisconsin health care system on brink of collapse amid exponential rise in COVID-19 cases. wsws.org Nearly every intensive care unit bed and every medical-surgical bed is full in the majority of hospitals throughout the state, and over a third of all hospitals in Wisconsin are operating at peak capacity and are unable to admit new patients.
(2020-11-23). Abuses In Palm Oil Fields Linked To Top Beauty Brands. popularresistance.org Sumatra, Indonesia – With his hand clamped tightly over her mouth, she could not scream, the 16-year-old girl recalls — and no one was around to hear her anyway. She describes how her boss raped her amid the tall trees on an Indonesian palm oil plantation that feeds into some of the world's best-known cosmetic brands. He then put an ax to her throat and warned her: Do not tell. | At another plantation, a woman named Ola complains of fevers, coughing and nose bleeds after years of spraying dangerous pesticides with no protective gear. Making just $2 a day, with no health benefits, she can't afford to see a d…
(2020-11-23). Epidemiologist warns of "contagion" of violent speech coming "from the White House" salon.com Dr. Gary Slutkin says violence is like a contagious disease — and our current president is a super-spreader…
(2020-11-22). While the Supreme Court deliberates on the ACA, Congress and the White House may act. salon.com The Affordable Care Act's third date with the Supreme Court was Nov. 10, and it will be months before a decision…
(2020-11-22). On Contact: Covid-19 And America's Health Care Crisis. popularresistance.org On the show this week, Chris Hedges talks to Dr. Margaret Flowers about the Covid-19 pandemic and the catastrophic response to the public health crisis under America's for-profit healthcare system. Without national coordination, or universal and free national health care, Americans are faced with uneven or absent care due to hospital closures, reductions in hospital beds and services. Lawmakers and hospital administrators compete to purchase basic supplies leading manufacturers to hike prices.
(2020-11-22). Russia claims its pioneering Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine will cost less than Western rivals as US pharma giants announce price tags. rt.com 
First the vaccines, now the bill. As G20 leaders called, at the weekend, for fair distribution, US pharma giants have started to announce how much their products will cost,. Meanwhile, Russia says its alternative will be cheaper. | The two American drug makers that aim to bring their vaccines to market first have now revealed their pricing strategies. Pfizer, which filed for US approval of its formula on Saturday, said earlier that a dose of its product will carry a $19.50 price tag. Moderna, thought to be close to signing a deal for a comprehensive rollout in the European Union, announced this week that it wi…
(2020-11-22). COVID chaos: U.S. government set to allow relief programs to expire when needed the most. liberationnews.org 
Just when financial assistance is needed the most to allow people to stay safe at home instead of risking their lives and public health by going out to work, key government programs are set to expire in a matter of weeks.
(2020-11-22). Protesters torch Guatemala's congress building amid unrest. thecanary.co 
Hundreds of protesters broke into Guatemala's congress and burned part of the building on Saturday amid growing demonstrations against President Alejandro Giammattei and the legislature for approving a controversial budget that cut educational and health spending.The incident came as about 10,000 people were protesting in front of the National Palace in Guatemala City against corruption and the budget, which protesters say was negotiated and passed by legislators in secret while the Central American country was distracted by the fallout of back-to-back hurricanes and the Covid-19 pandemic.About 1,000 protesters w…
(2020-11-22). "The Prison within the Prison": Lockdown and Social Distancing in America's Prisons. globalresearch.ca Our people inside are robbed of privacy, autonomy, safety, and human contact; why would their health in a pandemic be any different? Because of the poor standards and oversight of prison conditions in the U.S., each facility is largely responsible …
(2020-11-22). Guatemalan President Reviewing Budget, Which Slashed Healthcare Spending, After Outraged Protesters Set Fire to Legislative Building. commondreams.org "We are outraged by poverty, injustice, the way they have stolen the public's money," a psychology professor who attended the protests told the press. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-11-22). The Colossal Problem of Publicly Funded Vaccines in Private Hands. zcomm.org As Pfizer and Moderna prepare to roll out their COVID 19 vaccines, the problems associated with publicly funded vaccines in the hands of private companies are already on the horizon, as the drug industry seeks to control global efforts for a cure…
(2020-11-22). UN Chief Warns of Worst Famine in Decades in Yemen. dissidentvoice.org United Nations chief warned on Friday that war-torn Yemen is in imminent danger of the world's worst famine in decades.
(2020-11-22). Belarus to Produce First Batch of Russian COVID-19 Vaccine This Year, Acting Health Minister Says. sputniknews.com MINSK (Sputnik) – Belarus will produce Sputnik V, the first batch of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus, before the end of the year, Acting Health Minister Dmitry Pinevich said on Sunday.
(2020-11-22). People Are Rising Up Against The Elites, So Should We. popularresistance.org This weekend, ten thousand people took to the streets in Guatemala to protest the President and Congress over a proposed budget, the largest in its history, that cuts funds for health care and education as poverty rises, and provides slush funds to politicians and governments. In Colombia, the people held a national strike to protest their violent, right-wing government. In Peru, protests against a right-wing power grab have ousted one appointed president and people are demanding a new government and constitution.
(2020-11-22). Biden Could Enact Medicare For All By Executive Action. popularresistance.org Journalist David Dayen presented a convincing case Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden, once sworn into office come January, would have the legal authority to immediately provide complete Medicare coverage to everyone in the country via executive action due to the Covid-19 pandemic—though the very serious question remains: would he? | During the primary season in March, Biden said he would veto a Medicare for All bill should one ever reach his desk, but with the coronavirus infection rate surging—and some scenarios projecting an overall death toll as high as 360,000 by the time the inauguration tak…
(2020-11-22). Hospital Bills Amid the Pandemic Are Outrageous. Medicare for All Is the Fix. truthout.org Hospitals in the United States charge patients as much as 1,800% more than their costs amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study. | The 100 most expensive hospitals in the United States charge between $1,129 and $1,808 for every $100 of their costs, according to a Overall…
(2020-11-22). The Rain on Our Yes-We-Now-Have-a-Vaccine! Parade. commondreams.org What could be better than a drug that can stop Covid? A society that doesn't let some make billions off a drug millions can't access | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-11-22). Vaccine Access Advocates Cautiously Optimistic As G20 Summit Ends With Pledge to 'Spare No Effort' to Ensure Widespread Distribution. commondreams.org World leaders expressed cautious optimism about widespread coronavirus vaccine access as the virtual G20 summit wrapped up with a final statement from the world's 20 largest economies, expressing that the countries would make sure vaccines are distributed equitably across the globe. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-11-22). Pandemia's Norm: Wars and Rumors of Wars. strategic-culture.org Welcome to the world of Pandemia. It is a place where a deadly virus pandemic spreads in an out-of-control fashion. Sheltering at home has led to widespread unemployment. With closed borders and reduced airline flights, international and some domestic travel are all but dead. Legislatures and judicial courts render their decisions over video-conferencing connections. People of all ages die without being able to physically say farewell to their loved ones. | Pandemia is a dark place, where modern medicine and public health are dismissed by the equivalents of alchemists and indulgence sellers of medieval times. Pan…
(2020-11-22). Top hospitals charging patients up to 1,800% more for services than they actually cost: study. salon.com The leading nurses union says the study highlights the need for a Medicare for All system to limit high markups…
(2020-11-21). [World Report] US Supreme Court poised to keep the Affordable Care Act. thelancet.com A lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act may be floundering after Supreme Court justices questioned why the law should be dismantled. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.
(2020-11-21). The upcoming fights over COVID vaccine. zcomm.org Who will be vaccinated first — and in what country?>
(2020-11-21). Covid-19 pandemic could bring economic crisis on scale of 'Great Depression,' Putin tells G20 — warns of poverty & social disorder. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a global economic collapse that would have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people across the world. | Speaking at the virtual G20 summit of international leaders on Saturday, Putin warned that, "despite some positive signals, the main risk is still the so-called stagnant mass unemployment with a subsequent increase in poverty and social disorder." | "The coronavirus epidemic, the global lockdown and the freezing of economic activity launched a systemic economic crisis, which the modern world has not known s…
(2020-11-21). Legal challenge launched over 'unlawful' Government Covid appointments. thecanary.co 
Campaigners have submitted a legal challenge alleging that prime minister Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock acted "unlawfully" when appointing key figures to top posts during the coronavirus crisis, it has been reported.The Observer said that the case had been lodged jointly by the Good Law Project and race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust.It said that the judicial review, submitted to the High Court, alleged that three appointments were made without advertising the positions and without the open competition normally required for senior public sector roles. | This is our belief, that cronyism…
(2020-11-21). 'Ebenezer Scrooge' public health chief says Christmas should be delayed until summer to curb spread of coronavirus. rt.com 
A UK public health chief has backed calls for Christmas to be delayed to next summer in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus — despite acknowledging that he may sound like 'A Christmas Carol' villain Ebenezer Scrooge. | Expressing his concern that Christmas celebrations could "undo all of the work that we've done up until now," Mark Adams, a health chief for the coronavirus-heavy north-eastern Teesside area that encompasses Hartlepool,
(2020-11-21). Jeremy Hunt wants mass testing & health passports in the UK. Critics accuse him of promoting 'ENSLAVEMENT PASSES'. rt.com 
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants Brits to take a monthly coronavirus test, with a negative result earning them "freedom passes." His idea angered some commenters, who called it "Orwellian." | Writing in
(2020-11-21). The Imperative to Achieve Medicare for All. scheerpost.com By Dr. Margaret Flowers / Popular Resistance Health care will be a major issue early in the new Biden/Harris administration. Unemployment is still high with over a million people applying for unemployment benefits last week and 42.6% of working age people without a job. In the United States, losing employment often means losing health insurance. On top of the 30 million people who are already… |
(2020-11-21). [Comment] Notice of addendum to Article reporting Oxford trial of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. thelancet.com On request, and to aid others doing similar trials, we are publishing the full standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the Oxford University-sponsored trials of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. Operational details about running clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines in a pandemic are not generally available as they are contained in SOPs held at trial sites. These SOPs can provide additional insight into study conduct that assist with interpretation of the data. We have provided an additional appendix to our Article reporting the phase 1/2 findings1 to provide this information about the key processes guiding the Oxford…
(2020-11-21). As Canada's ruling class lets pandemic run rampant, workers must fight to shut down nonessential production and schools. wsws.org Canada's Public Health Agency warns that new COVID-19 infections will rise to 20,000 per day by the end of December—the equivalent of 200,000 per day in the United States—if social contacts remain at current levels.
(2020-11-21). White House Mum on Covid Thanksgiving Rules as CDC Asks People Not to 'Speak Loudly' in Own Homes. sputniknews.com Americans are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, with this year's celebrations marred by the coronavirus pandemic and the vast economic dislocation caused by efforts to keep infection rates down over the past eight months.
(2020-11-21). [World Report] Violence leads to health emergencies in Mozambique. thelancet.com Displaced by war, thousands of people in Mozambique are at risk of infectious disease. Munyaradzi Makoni reports.
(2020-11-21). FDA Lets Pfizer Test Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine on U.S. Children. globalresearch.ca Americans have been following COVID-19 vaccine trial developments for weeks, watching companies jockey for frontrunner status like contestants in a reality TV show. And though participants in some of the studies (by
(2020-11-21). Five reasons why a moratorium is the right next step in our fight to #CancelAnimalAg. indybay.org If you're reading this, I likely don't need to tell you that something is deeply wrong and unjust about animal agriculture. This industry tortures and kills trillions of animals each year, forces marginalized people to work in unsafe and traumatizing environments, and is a leading contributor of greenhouse gases, ocean dead zones, and pandemic-causing zoonotic diseases. We need to completely abolish animal agriculture and transition to a more just, plant-based food system, but it's not going to happen overnight.