Well, as is usually the case about the bogosity that circulates on Facebook, there's a kernel of truth buried in there somewhere — though you have to look pretty hard for it. The kernel is this:
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, an international non-profit organization for which the Gateses provided the endowment in 2000, is pouring cash into dozens of efforts to synthesize a vaccine for the novel¹ coronavirus that causes COVID-19. From there, it's an easy hop-skip-jump for people who are bereft of critical thinking skills to decide that Gates will make money off the vaccine because he "owns the patent."
That is, of course, utter bullshit. Here's why:
- There's no vaccine, so no one – including Gates – "owns" a patent for the vaccine.
- The research facility – a laboratory, university, pharmaceutical company, genetics lab, whatever – that develops the vaccine will own the patent. Yes, it's possible that it could later be sold to someone with deep enough pockets.
- Gates is the chairman of the charitable foundation that bears the family name, which has an endowment in the neighborhood of $40 billion. He does not receive compensation for his activities.
- While it is conceivable that the Foundation might receive royalties in compensation for its research funding (unlikely, since such funding is most probably a grant), the organization cannot turn a profit. Any funds that accrue would be directed to the endowment.
- There is no vaccine, and therefore no patent.
- Gates wouldn't make any money from a vaccine even if one were developed.
¹ "Novel" in this context means "new," not "fictitious."
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