Pfizer execs discuss hiking vaccine price after pandemic wanes

A top executive for Pfizer suggested to investors last week that pricing for its COVID-19 vaccine could increase post-pandemic. The suggestion raises questions about whether a drug, developed at the behest of the federal government to respond to a global crisis, could turn a profit for one company.

The possibility was raised by Carter Lewis Gould, a senior analyst for Biopharma Equity Research at Barclays, during a virtual global healthcare conference hosted by the bank. Gould, referencing comments made by Pfizer executives over the summer, asked how the pharmaceutical company still envisioned pursuing "higher pricing" as "we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase," according to an edited transcript of the conversation.  "Clearly got a lot of focus on the street. And in particular, some of your comments around the potential for higher pricing," Gould said of Pfizer's summer suggestion. "I think one of the things that people point to is both the optics of that as well as some of their experience with the flu market. Now this is absolutely different. But I was hoping you could maybe give us a little bit more depth on your thoughts here and around the potential to pursue higher pricing down the road?"