In 1923, Frederick Banting, Charles Best and James Collip sold the patent for their newly discovered miracle drug, insulin, to the University of Toronto for 1.00. Dr. Best summed up their motives when he said, “Insulin belongs to the world, not to me.”

I’m not sure how he’d feel about the price of insulin now. Apparently, big pharm has a different view than the three co-creators of Insulin had.

When the first vaccines for COVID were released, there were requests from around the world, that the patents be open to facilitate the availability of the vaccines to the developing world. The pharmaceutical companies and politicians pushed back against the idea, claiming it was impossible and would stifle research. 

However, that view wasn’t shared by Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi of Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Children’s Centre for Vaccine Development, who have recently released a new COVID-19 vaccine.

“The real beauty of the CORBEVAX vaccine that Drs. Hotez and Bottazzi created is that intellectual property of this vaccine will be available to everybody,” said Dr. Keith Martin.

Doctors Hotez and Bottazzi seem to embrace the teaching of Jesus, in the way we respond to the least of these is how we respond to Him

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.