Prof. Larry Gostin: “It’s No Secret. America is a Mess.”

On October 7, Andrew and Steve sat down with a close friend, Georgetown’s Prof. Larry Gostin, for a lively live-cast conversation about his new book, ‘Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future.” The podcast captures that rich, vivid exchange. The big messages: We underestimate the power of the SAR-CoV-2 virus: it is wily and pernicious and will continue to surge. We cannot forget anti-microbial resistance. A fundamental shift is needed in the US international approach – away from charity and towards advancing technology transfer to manufacture vaccines in low and middle-income countries to create resilience. That requires far greater pressure upon Moderna and Pfizer to cooperate in meeting urgent global needs. The USG has the legal authorities to make that happen but has not yet followed through. USG health communications have been “pitiful” and left the public “utterly confused.” That too can be corrected.  

Professor Lawrence O. Gostin is University Professor at Georgetown University where he directs the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.