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Vaccines against the coronavirus have also attracted the attention of criminals, especially in countries where the black market for drugs is huge. In addition to stolen products, there may be obstacles in online deals that offer safe products.
Two months ago, an event broke out that draws attention to the dangers lurking in healthcare workers spreading the coronavirus vaccine, writes Vanda Felbab-Brown, a researcher at the Brookings Institute. In Mexico City, thieves attacked a truck carrying 10,000 flu vaccines and stole the shipment.
This is not surprising because the Central American country has the sixth largest black drug market in the world, but it does indicate what can happen to coronavirus vaccines, which are likely much more valuable than the flu vaccine.
Attacks could be prepared for well-to-do international criminal gangs, starting in countries in Latin America and black Africa, where vaccination is likely to be a rare treasure and public security is weak anyway. The vaccine can be transported from warehouses or trucks, even with refrigeration equipment to store it. The problem is that the extensive black market for medical devices is not new, but at stake, the success of controlling the pandemic is greater than ever.
Great deal
The turnover of fraudulent drug trafficking over the Internet is estimated at $ 70 billion a year (about half of Hungary’s GDP) and affects every country in the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in poor countries, one in ten preparations is fake or of poor quality. The US authorities have already felt the need to warn about bogus offers circulating on every website about the coronavirus vaccine.
Companies that deal with biotechnology only on their behalf pose a special threat. In China, a year ago, one was fined $ 1 billion for offering fake vaccines to children. This also shows that even in a country like China, there can be problems controlling the pharmaceutical market.
The other particular source of danger is the activities of corrupt government officials. Recently, a Mexican state bureaucrat traded a children’s vaccine for water and sold the drug on the black market for good money. Another source of corruption is that the vaccine reaches the site of use through many intermediaries, all of whom take advantage of themselves. However, in the meantime, the effectiveness of the preparation may be reduced.
War zones
Unsurprisingly, administering the coronavirus vaccine in war zones can be difficult. The Taliban in Afghanistan, or the Boko Haram organization in Nigeria, had previously preceded the delivery of certain vaccines to their destination. For example, the administration of the polio vaccine was prevented on the grounds that medical personnel had come to spy on extremists.
Paradoxically, there are cases where counter-terrorism measures can prevent the delivery of medical supplies to recipients. Humanitarian organizations refrain from negotiating with criminal groups to gain access to the areas under their control. While these organizations should be avoided as much as possible to get money, given the severity of the pandemic, it should be noted that aid organizations should also do business with the “devil” to administer the coronavirus vaccine.
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