HHS secretary asks COVID vaccine makers to price shots fairly
Jae Young Ju
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is asking manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines to price their jabs "at a reasonable rate, reflective of the value that you have obtained through U.S. government investment."
Unlike before, the next round of COVID shots, which will be available in the fall, will not be covered by federal government procurement and instead be available through traditional, commercial means as with other vaccines and treatments.
This is because of the expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency in May. 
"Price gouging behavior takes advantage of the trust the American people have placed in you through the COVID-19 response," Becerra wrote in a letter to drugmakers, noting the billions of dollars the federal government provided to support COVID vaccine research.
He also asked manufacturers to ensure they have a "ample supply of doses" and are prepared if there is a possible surge in demand.
Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)/BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), and Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) are expected to provide updated COVID vaccines for the fall.
Both Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA) have said they plan to charge as much as $130 per dose for the updated vaccine, far higher than before.
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