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The MPF (Federal Prosecutor’s Office) asked Fiocruz for explanations about the production of the vaccine, carried out in partnership with the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca. The institution has five days to respond.
In the letter sent today, prosecutors from the Republic of Amazonas, Federal District, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo and Sergipe ask Fiocruz to report whether any adaptations have been made at its plant to produce the new vaccine.
They also ask about the current productive capacity and if the foundation will be able to meet the acquisitions foreseen by the national vaccination plan or even expand production, in case of increased demand.
Fiocruz was also asked about the validity of clinical tests and adverse reactions possibly associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The president of the pharmaceutical AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot, said today that the company is working in partnership with the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) to obtain the approval of its immunizer against covid-19, as soon as possible in Brazil. According to the executive’s forecasts, approval should be given in January 2021, and the start of the application, starting in February next year, depending on the production capacity of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).
The deadline is close to the first expectations of the National Immunization Plan (PNI) announced by the federal government. Initially, the federal government had said it would start giving vaccines in March. However, after pressure from the governors, he published a document in which he says he will establish a new calendar without setting the date.
