Head of AstraZeneca, headed by Brussels: Vaccine contract with the EU is not a commitment

AstraZeneca announced last week that the initial shipment of its vaccine, once the product is approved this week, to the European Union will be less than planned.

The EU has reserved 300 million euros. Vaccine against AstraZeneca and has the opportunity to acquire another 100 million. However, the company has announced that the first shipment will not be 80 million as previously announced, but 31 million. dose – 60 percent. Less.

AstraZeneca’s explanations fail to convince community officials, who have been angry and threatening retaliation since Friday. In Brussels, the company is not believed to have simply encountered problems at the production site. Yes specifically in Belgium.

The EU Health Commissioner and German Health Minister Jens Spahn hinted that the Community could be determined to restrict and control exports of vaccines produced in the bloc countries, while Italian and Latvian representatives said that AstraZeneca could be sued. .

The director of the company, Pascal Soriot, has spoken now. He told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that the vaccines would be delivered “not so little” and stressed that the company was committed to “doing everything possible” to meet demand.

Explained where the problem was

Soriot also claimed that vaccine shipments to Community countries would be lower and more delayed due to the late signing of the contract by the bloc, three months later than the UK. That is why the EU factories have not eliminated the potential outages that are now a reminder of themselves.

Furthermore, the AstraZeneca director denied allegations that the company had sold the vaccine in the EU to other countries for profit. Soriot emphasized that the company does not make money from the vaccine and that a dose costs on average 3-4 dollars in the world.

P. Soriot: “5% of Europe lives in world population, but Europe receives 17% of the world population. All our vaccines”.

He clarified that as soon as the European Medicines Agency approves the AstraZeneca vaccine (a decision is expected on Friday), the Community will receive 3 million euros. dose. It is planned to transfer a total of 17 million in February. dose.

According to P. Soriot, the angry reaction of the EU representatives is due to stress: “Governments are under pressure. Everyone, a little bit, you know, has a fever, gives in to emotions. “

The AstraZeneca head finally pointed out that the company will produce 100 million. doses worldwide: “Europe is home to 5% of the world’s population, but Europe receives 17% of the world’s population. All of our vaccines.”

The main problem is said to be the inability to obtain a sufficiently effective so-called “active ingredient”, which is produced in factories in Belgium and the Netherlands.

This material, as soon as it is ready, travels to Italy and Germany, where it is diluted and dispensed in ampoules. “There are no problems with the second part of the process,” Soriot said.

Important details of the agreement

The AstraZeneca owner is not intimidated when talking about the possibility of suing the Europeans. Mr. Soriot claims to be sure of the wording of the agreement.

“The contract with the EU is very clear. Our commitment, I quote, is “the best possible effort,” Mr. Poriot said.

Such words were chosen because the company had already signed a clearly binding agreement with the UK for 100 million euros three months ago. vaccine dose. Agreement with the EU on 400 million Doses were signed later.

“We said that we would try to do what we could. But we couldn’t commit to the contract because we are three months behind the UK, ”Soriot explained, adding that the company had always known that it would be very difficult to fulfill wishes.

True, European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer noted Tuesday that AstraZeneca was fully complying with orders from other customers and said the EU was still waiting to receive the planned shipment once the vaccine was approved.

EU access to doses produced in the UK will be granted “but only later, when Britain reaches the required level of vaccination”.

“We see that the doses are being delivered to other countries, and we know that we signed an agreement with AstraZeneca in August, that the member countries placed their orders in October and that it is now the end of January. Therefore, it is believed that the doses should be delivered, ”Mamer said.

But Mr Soriot argued that the contract with the UK stated that vaccines specifically produced in that country would remain there.

EU access to UK-produced doses is said to be granted “but only later, when Britain reaches the required level of vaccination.”

Soriot added that the British had already carried out the vaccination campaign in such a way that all citizens aged 50 and over should have been vaccinated in March.

“First, a contract was signed with the UK, and the UK of course said we would supply it first, which is fair. We will help the EU as soon as we can, “said P. Soriot.

The community “just failed”

According to the head of AstraZeneca, the agreement with the British was concluded relatively early, which allowed the United Kingdom to expand production and eliminate possible interruptions, since the vaccine production process is complicated.

“In the case of the EU, all these processes were delayed for three months. The company had to prepare partners to make the vaccine in Europe, and some people are newcomers, they don’t know how to make the vaccine and they don’t work as efficiently as others, ”Pori said.

This is said to be the reason why the most productive plants in the UK have produced three times more ‘active ingredient’ than the least efficient plants elsewhere. It is a coincidence that the latter serve the EU.

“It just came to our attention then. There is no secret here,” said P. Soriot.

Brussels is still not lagging behind. Mamer reiterated Tuesday that AstraZeneca must meet its contractual obligations and explain in detail why it is a lower dose than planned.

EU officials, unlike Soriot, say the bloc’s deal with a British and Swedish company is not tied to specific factories. It is said that the Community has just tried to reach an agreement with companies that can produce the vaccine in large quantities.

“When we signed the agreement, it was based on the fact that the company has sufficient production capacity. We will continue the talks, “said E. Mamer.

In his own interview, P. Soriot also praised the British, who had previously decided to postpone the second vaccination, which is necessary after the first. It has now been decided that people will receive the second dose 12 weeks after the first, vaccinating more people this way.

“It is an absolutely correct decision, at least for our vaccine. The effectiveness increases if you receive the second dose later, ”Soriot said, adding that Denmark and the Netherlands are already doing the same.