A critical care doctor said the U.S. is wasting taxpayer’s money on its purchase of drug manufacturer Merck’s Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) antiviral treatment. Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) President Dr. Pierre Kory warned that the Biden administration should not pay Merck for a COVID-19 drug “which has already failed in hospitalized patients.” He instead called for the “low-cost, safe [and] widely available” ivermectin to be used with its track record of effectiveness against the disease.

Kory’s remarks came as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on June 9 that the federal government and Merck sealed a $1.2 billion deal. Under the agreement, the drug firm will supply 1.7 million course of its molnupiravir COVID-19 antiviral drug – pending the green light by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).