Jens Spahn's expenditure of hundreds of millions of euros in flames
In winter 2020/2021, the German federal government under Jens Spahn ordered hundreds of millions of euros worth of monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19. However, the decision to procure these drugs, which were specific to certain virus variants, had short shelf lives, and were rapidly becoming less effective due to the evolving virus, has been criticised.
The monoclonal antibodies, which were not approved in the EU and only had emergency authorisation in the US, were intended to be a quick solution amid the pandemic, relying on advice from institutions like the Robert Koch Institute. However, the majority of these ordered antibodies were never used and were ultimately destroyed by fire, leading to a financial loss of hundreds of millions of euros.
The ministry initially stated that approximately 29,000 "treatment units" of Casirivimab/Imdevimab were delivered to pharmacies, later referring to 29,000 "vials" for the same antibodies. The total cost for the corona drugs amounted to around 600 million euros, but the ministry refuses to reveal the exact price per dose, only the total sum is known.
Pharmaceutical expert Theo Dingermann criticised Spahn for ignoring scientific warnings about the ineffectiveness of the monoclonal antibodies. The manufacturer Eli Lilly independently abandoned its approval procedure in the EU for Bamlanivimab, the monoclonal antibody ordered by Spahn, in the fall of 2021.
The ministry has evaded questions about contact with former colleagues regarding the purchase of the drugs and whether there was a conflict of interest. Acquaintances of Spahn and former ministry employees held high positions in the pharmaceutical industry, and some of Spahn's former employees had switched to the lucrative industry.
Eli Lilly charges 1,250 dollars per dose from wealthy countries, significantly less than what Spahn eventually paid. The business with the Covid antibodies was very lucrative for Eli Lilly and Regeneron, earning several billion dollars in 2021.
Doctors were offered a flat rate of 450 euros for a therapy with the monoclonal antibodies, but few found the drug useful. The monoclonal antibodies only attached to one point, making them ineffective if the virus mutated.
The Federal Ministry of Health cannot specify the total amount spent on the destroyed medicines. The ministry stated that it was in contact with several persons of the affected companies in the context of the procurements. Spahn's approach as health minister was to buy Covid antibodies first and then determine if they were needed.
The costs for the monoclonal antibodies are 200 million euros higher than what Jens Spahn publicly announced. The decision to procure and the amount of monoclonal antibodies was made by the Federal Ministry of Health, not the RKI.
The debacle surrounding the procurement and use of monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19 has raised questions about the transparency and effectiveness of the German government's response to the pandemic.
