Profit Over Lives: Big Pharma's Vaccine Stall for Greed

Pharmaceutical giant GSK prioritized profits over public health by stalling the development of a potentially lifesaving tuberculosis (TB) vaccine in pursuit of a more lucrative shingles vaccine. The TB vaccine showed promising results, preventing over half of those infected from getting sick, but GSK decided to focus on the shingles vaccine, which has generated over $14 billion in revenue since 2018. GSK's decision highlights the broken system that prioritizes corporate interests over the needs of the sick and poor, as TB vaccines are not as profitable since they are mostly purchased by nonprofits and countries with limited resources. This case underscores the need for a new approach to vaccine development that prioritizes public health over corporate profits.