How should the EU deal with Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers?

Antitrust, e.g. break them up into smaller companies to increase competition.
0% (0 votes)
Regulation, e.g. introduce export controls and enforce a price ceiling for vaccines produced in Europe.
23% (19 votes)
Nationalisation, e.g. buy the companies or their patents and ramp up production.
7% (6 votes)
Price discrimination, e.g. allow them to charge higher prices to those EU governments and individuals that can pay more.
67% (54 votes)
A profits tax to strip them of their extraordinary profits.
0% (0 votes)
Free trade, e.g. approve as many vaccines as possible and let them compete.
2% (2 votes)
Waive their patent protection so that other companies can produce their vaccines.
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 81
Learning objectives: 
Understanding the effects of a monopoly on prices and quantities.
Understanding the different ways of dealing with monopolies: antitrust, regulation, nationalisation and doing nothing.
Understanding the effect of fixed research and development costs on the average cost of vaccines.
Understanding the social role of patents as government-protected monopolies that encourage innovation.
Understanding the concept of a natural monopoly, and its application to vaccine manufacturing.
Understanding the effects of price discrimination on a monopoly's production, consumer surplus and producer profit.
Understanding the dilemma of dealing with an exporting monopoly.
Presentation videos: