Over the past two years, the US government has purchased all of the covid vaccines that are administered in the country, making it the largest public vaccine campaign in American history.
Pfizer has supplied more than 500 million doses. The US government invested over $1 billion in vaccine production and the first 100 million cost around $20 a dose. Each dose was bought for $30.
Pfizer is able to raise the price of its shots once the US government runs out of supplies in the first quarter of 2020.
The Comirnaty vaccine will be sold for $110 to $130 per dose.
This is four times the current selling price and 100 times the cost of making the vaccine.
Pfizer spends less than a dollar for each dose of vaccine according to The People's Vaccine Alliance. The estimate was drawn from an analysis conducted by international nonprofit Oxfam, based on data from consumer advocacy Public Citizen.
Pfizer didn't challenge the estimate, which would imply that the price is 10,000% higher than the cost. The company gave an explanation for the price increase.
There are differences between an emergency and traditional model that increase the cost of making and distributing the vaccine. The company says these costs include distributing through multiple channels and payers instead of one, as well as producing the doses in single vials, which can be up to three times more expensive and run into higher transportation costs.
Most privately insured patients will not have to pay out-of-pocket costs for the vaccine, and Pfizer will provide financial assistance to uninsured patients so they can receive the vaccine for free.
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