The only way the economy returns is some therapeutic (either an anti-viral or a vaccine).

So let's get prepared to "waste" some money -- it's our best path forward.

We know innovation takes a long time.

We should concentrate on the rate limiting steps we can influence (1/5)

The first rate limiting step is the science.

This is hard to control -- but the more simultaneous bites at the apple we encourage the better off we are.

Similarly, the more shared knowledge the better.

Let's make sure we signal that we will pay handsomely for a cure (2/5)

I know many people reflexively worry about overpaying -- frankly it's going to be REALLY hard to overpay given costs.

Creating uncertainty on paying for supplies like ventilators is not helping.

Any effective treatment will create massive value, its not time for skimping (3/5)

The next rate limiting step is the testing and clinical trial process.

Some of this can be made more efficient -- but a lot of this simply needs to happen over time.

It's hard to skip steps here -- and with vaccines there are real safety concerns to discover up front (4/5)

The next rate limiting step is manufacturing.

The most cost efficient thing is to wait to build capacity until we are fairly certain a product will work.

Hard pass!

We need to build capacity now -- with the knowledge that we will "waste" billions on useless capacity (5/5)

This is why @BillGates is stepping up to fund capacity for a bunch of manufaturing capacity for the most promising pre-clinical vaccines.

He is doing this *knowing* we will "waste" billions.

But shaving months off of development is easily worth it (6/5) https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-factories-7-different-vaccines-to-fight-coronavirus-2020-4

. @BillGates can't fund everything.

That's ok -- let's turn on federal government money cannon.

An antiviral is a more likely short time (i.e. fall) innovation. But we're going to have to scale up massive production.

We must build capacity now! (7/5) https://twitter.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1247357901452214272

This winter has taught us cost of not planning ahead.

If we wait to Fall to find out what works and we can't scale up production -- we'll lose countless lives and billions of dollars.

Listen to widsom of Nathan Muir, the Fall forecast is rain, it's time to build the ark (8/5).

In normal times we can worry about cost efficiency and overpaying for products.

We are not in normal times.

We must focus all of our efforts on the fastest path to getting an arsenal of innovative treatments.

Now go out there -- and waste some money (9/9).