5 ms·

If you document the design and process, somebody else can copy it.

selectodude 6y ago
A lot of this stuff is pretty bespoke. I’m sure it’s not hard to get your hands on (especially now) but by the time it’s ready, nobody will need it.
- skybrian 6y ago
  It seems like there are going to be a lot of mRNA vaccines?
  - selectodude 6y ago
    I certainly hope so. I imagine if Moderna wanted more machines, they're en route. They also won't be ready until 2022.
- Robotbeat 6y ago
  unfortunately we ARE going to need it because at current rates, billions of people won't be vaccinated until 2022 or 2023: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/22/959627186/until-everyone-is-safe-no-one-is-safe-africa-awaits-the-covid-19-vaccine https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/0... That's billions of people who will be incubating more mutated variants of COVID-19. And secondly, we'll need that equipment for COVID-19 variant booster shots. (And will come in handy for vaccinating with a universal flu vaccine, even HIV, etc.)
refurb 6y ago
No. Someone else can't copy it. With new technology like this there is often a ton of fairy dust involved - knowledge gained by the people who developed it that even they aren't aware is critical to the process. I was involved in a relatively simple tech transfer of a pharmaceutical agent to a plant in China. We pulled it back to the US because every single batch failed. And it wasn't due to shoddy workmanship since we had US people on the ground directing everything.
visarga 6y ago
Tell that to the scientists complaining about the irreproducibility of papers. They often can't copy it because it was a one-off, with undocumented steps.
FuckButtons 6y ago
Ok, so now the only people who can build more capacity are instead writing documentation?sounds like a great idea in the middle of a crisis.
- jackcviers3 6y ago
  No. I'm suggesting that as part of a 2 decades long development process at a multi-billion dollar company that is science based, there should be enough documentation for someone to pick this up and run with it. What everyone else seems to be saying is that Covid-19 has a bus factor of like 5 or 6 people, who if they died,would lead to any breakdown in the process becoming an irrecoverable incident. That single point of favor needs to be distributed, not just for production capacity, but for the future safety of the human race. Call me skeptical. I think it's much more likely that this falls under trade secrets.

A lot of this stuff is pretty bespoke. I’m sure it’s not hard to get your hands on (especially now) but by the time it’s ready, nobody will need it.

skybrian 6y ago
It seems like there are going to be a lot of mRNA vaccines?
- selectodude 6y ago
  I certainly hope so. I imagine if Moderna wanted more machines, they're en route. They also won't be ready until 2022.
Robotbeat 6y ago
unfortunately we ARE going to need it because at current rates, billions of people won't be vaccinated until 2022 or 2023: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/22/959627186/until-everyone-is-safe-no-one-is-safe-africa-awaits-the-covid-19-vaccine https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/0... That's billions of people who will be incubating more mutated variants of COVID-19. And secondly, we'll need that equipment for COVID-19 variant booster shots. (And will come in handy for vaccinating with a universal flu vaccine, even HIV, etc.)

refurb 6y ago

No. Someone else can't copy it. With new technology like this there is often a ton of fairy dust involved - knowledge gained by the people who developed it that even they aren't aware is critical to the process. I was involved in a relatively simple tech transfer of a pharmaceutical agent to a plant in China. We pulled it back to the US because every single batch failed. And it wasn't due to shoddy workmanship since we had US people on the ground directing everything.

visarga 6y ago

Tell that to the scientists complaining about the irreproducibility of papers. They often can't copy it because it was a one-off, with undocumented steps.

FuckButtons 6y ago

Ok, so now the only people who can build more capacity are instead writing documentation?sounds like a great idea in the middle of a crisis.

jackcviers3 6y ago
No. I'm suggesting that as part of a 2 decades long development process at a multi-billion dollar company that is science based, there should be enough documentation for someone to pick this up and run with it. What everyone else seems to be saying is that Covid-19 has a bus factor of like 5 or 6 people, who if they died,would lead to any breakdown in the process becoming an irrecoverable incident. That single point of favor needs to be distributed, not just for production capacity, but for the future safety of the human race. Call me skeptical. I think it's much more likely that this falls under trade secrets.