Headline RoundupJune 18th, 2021

US to Spend $3.2B on Developing Antiviral COVID-19 Pills

Summary from the AllSides News Team

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday that the U.S. will spend $3.2 billion on developing antiviral pills to treat COVID-19. The program, titled The Antiviral Program for Pandemics, will enhance current clinical trials of several potential COVID-19 treatments, with the goal of gaining FDA approval for at least one in the next year. Funding will come from President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. Once approved, the medicine would be available over-the-counter to treat COVID-19 symptoms; the treatments could be especially key for immunocompromised people, who, even if they've received a vaccine, are unlikely to have full protection compared to healthy people.

The news was similarly covered across the spectrum. Some coverage from left-rated sources pointed out that the Trump administration spent a lot of resources on COVID-19 vaccine development, but not as much on developing treatments. Reports from left-rated outlets were more likely to attribute the investment announcement to "the Biden administration," rather than to "the U.S." or "HHS."

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