[ad_1]
AstraZeneca’s agreement with the Brazilian government reveals that the foreign company imposed conditions on the sale of the future vaccine against covid-19, paid royalties, maintained the patent for the product and can even define what it considers to be the end date. pandemic, as of July 2021.
The data is part of the Memorandum of Understanding between Fiocruz and AstraZeneca, signed on July 31. The agreement, obtained by the column, allowed the government to announce the supply of 100 million doses of the future vaccine, at a cost of US $ 300 million. Understandings would be negotiated to detail parts of the agreement.
According to the agreement with the British company, it is also established that, if the vaccine does not work, there will be no refund. According to the agreement, the payments “are not refundable in case of negative results in the clinical investigation.”
It is also agreed that the payment for the “transfer of know how (knowledge) of the production of the finished product is not refundable. “
The laboratory can “declare” the end of the pandemic
The text also explains that the multinational company has the right to establish the end of the pandemic period. This specific section of the deal was also published Thursday by the Financial Times.
According to the text, said end of the pandemic declaration could be established as of July 1, 2021. The period of the pandemic could be extended. But that will depend exclusively on AstraZeneca. The pandemic, therefore, could continue if “AstraZeneca, in good faith, considers that the SARS-COV-2 pandemic is not yet over on this date.”
The relevance of such a position is reflected in the price. According to the multinationals, a supply of doses at cost could only occur for the duration of the pandemic. After that, the values will need to be renegotiated.
Wanted, Fiocruz has not yet responded on these points. The space remains open to the institution. The column also asked AstraZeneca for clarification.
Agreement with Fiocruz only allows production of vaccines for Brazilians
In an extract from the initial agreement, it is clearly established that the production carried out by Fiocruz could serve only the Brazilian domestic market, without the possibility of an eventual export of products.
The text says that it is considered that the understanding “ensures the production, distribution and commercialization of the vaccine in Brazil.” In another section, it is also explained that the company grants the sub-license for the production, distribution and commercialization of the vaccine for the “Brazilian public market”.
Only when the pandemic ends will “the parties evaluate the possibility of expanding the territory.” In other words, an export from Fiocruz.
The understanding states that all intellectual property of the vaccine remains in the hands of AstraZeneca, that an agreement would still establish a royalty payment and that the agreement is confidential.
This Thursday, the column revealed that the Brazilian government chose not to ally with a project in India and South Africa to request the suspension of all patents for vaccines and treatments against covid-19. The decision was lamented by activists and former negotiators, such as former minister Celso Amorim.
