Jim Naureckas on Coronavirus False Choices, Peter Maybarduk on Pharmaceutical Price-Gouging
CounterSpin
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This week on CounterSpin: CDC data suggests that US deaths from the coronavirus are far higher than reported, according to a recent New York Times story. Upending the notion that the virus is only killing people who would've died from other causes anyway, the new data shows coronavirus has brought "a pattern of deaths unlike anything seen in recent years."
The problem is, that data-driven story has to compete with others, in that paper and elsewhere, that suggest that we're moving quite smartly toward "reopening the economy," and pushing to make that happen soon is an equally legitimate "position" to hold. Corporate media are constitutionally committed to leaving unchallenged the notion that our choice is between sending folks back to workplaces and public spaces that might be unsafe, and letting them stay home and give up paychecks and health insurance. That worldview undercuts their ability to bring us the basic information we need. We'll get an update on pandemic coverage with Jim Naureckas, editor of FAIR.org.
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Also on the show: Author Gerald Posner told the Intercept last month, “Pharmaceutical companies view Covid-19 as a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity.” And it isn't a matter of a handful of outlier, especially greedy companies: This is The System. But as real as drug companies' imperative—to take advantage of people being sick and scared so they can make a bigger profit—is the growing recognition that this is unacceptable, pandemic or no pandemic. Peter Maybarduk, director of Public Citizen's Global Access to Medicines Program, joins us to talk about that piece of the problem.
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