[user104658]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

the idea simply was that by charging it at cost, it makes it affordable as it can be across the world which is an admirable sentiment. Pfizer and Moderna went for the bucks from the start.

To be honest I think it would be a bit naive to think that AZ (as a company) were acting purely out of altruism... they were banking on their stock prices surging. Unfortunately for them, the "blood clot panic" and also the drama with manufacturing and the tit-for-tat with Europe has made that a bit shakier. They tanked a bit in early 2021 although it looks like they've actually been climbing steadily since April. I guess all I'm saying is, don't assume they aren't going for the bucks just because the actual price tag is low.

I guess as a comparison - something to note is that both Sony and Microsoft sell consoles at launch as close to manufacturing and shipping cost as possible or sometimes even at a loss. That's not because they're passionate about affordable gaming... it's because being the biggest brand brings lots of profit in other forms down the track.