Nobel prize for medicine goes to mRNA work behind covid-19 vaccines
New ScientistOCT 2 2023
Swedish Researchers Win $10M Prize for UTI Diagnostic Test
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The Spin
Narrative A
AMR is one of the most pressing medical issues of our time, and thanks to the Longitude Prize, years of research have culminated in several diagnostic breakthroughs. While the official competition is over, and PA-100 AST has won, scientists are now working to distribute this technology across the globe and even develop it further. This technology has the chance to save millions of lives so long as funding and research continue.
Narrative B
While we should celebrate this breakthrough and thank the scientists behind it, it's also important to remember Big Pharma's role in the collapse of the antibiotic industry. Once drug patents expire and corporations can no longer hike prices, these companies stop manufacturing life-saving drugs, leaving patients out to dry. Victory over AMR could come quicker if Big Pharma chose to prioritize people over profits.