Should major pharmaceutical firms be asked to offer drugs to the poorest countries at prices that cover only their costs, and provide no profit?

BACKGROUND: The New York Times reports that “two companies that make vaccines against cervical cancer announced Thursday that they would cut their prices to the world’s poorest countries below $5 per dose, eventually making it possible for millions of girls to be protected against a major deadly cancer.” See the full report here.

The vaccines typically costs about $130 per dose in the United States, the Times reports.

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