Episode Details

During the recent pandemic, low-income countries struggled to access the COVID-19 vaccine, despite a global framework that had been established for this purpose. In this episode: Tahir Amin, a leader in the access to medicines movement, shares his perspective on what failed during the pandemic and how this experience reflects larger challenges in the availability and affordability of critical medications.

Tahir Amin, DPLP, is a founder and CEO of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK), a nonprofit organization working to address the inequities in how medicines are developed and distributed.

Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.

• Pharma Monopoly: The Battle for the Future of Medicines—Polity Books (book)

• Americans' Challenges with Health Care Costs—KFF

• Patently imperfect—Science

• Could Patent Reform Lower Drug Prices?—Public Health On Call (March 2023)