Richard H. Hughes, IV, Member of the Firm, and William Walters, Law Clerk – Admission Pending, in the Health Care & Life Sciences practice, authored an article in Healthcare Business Today, titled “Anticipating the Commercialization of the COVID-19 Vaccine.”

Following is an excerpt examines how the federal government has operated as the sole purchaser of all COVID-19 vaccines since the vaccines received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020. But beginning in 2023, the federal government is likely to step back from its role as the sole purchaser of COVID-19 vaccines, as its current supply of vaccines becomes depleted.

The Biden administration, in September of 2022, requested an additional $9.1 billion in supplemental funding from Congress to continue COVID-19 vaccine procurement. However, members of Congress disagreed and did not provide this funding. Recent reporting suggests that the Biden administration is making one final push for an additional $8.25 billion in funding for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments with the lame-duck Congress. Still, it is unclear whether this funding will be granted, especially considering the previous failed attempts.