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Saturday, September 19, 2020
© Retha Ferguson / Wikimedia
A small group of wealthy nations have already purchased more than half of all vaccines expected to be produced in the near future, leaving the majority of the world’s population with very little, according to development NGO Oxfam.
There are currently five main candidates for a vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the disease known as Covid-19. Oxfam studied contracts that have already been signed between manufacturers and governments, including the European Commission, which is being negotiated by the 27 EU member states.
The NGO found that 51% of the first wave of production of all vaccines together has already gone to countries that represent only 13% of the world’s population. In other words, 87% of the population will have to settle for 49% of the vaccines available.
And things are unlikely to get any better once the head table has been set, Oxfam found.
“Even in the extremely unlikely event that all five vaccines are successful, nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of the world’s population will not have a vaccine until at least 2022, ”the NGO said in a press release.
“Some of these experiments are much more likely to fail, leaving the number of people without access even higher. ”
Oxfam is now joining other development organizations in calling for a popular, free, and as needed vaccine.
“This will only be possible if the pharmaceutical corporations allow vaccines. produced as widely as possible by freely sharing your knowledge without patents, rather than protecting their monopolies and selling to the highest bidder, ”said Oxfam.
One of the leading candidates for a vaccine, Moderna, has clearly stated that he intends to cash in on his vaccine, despite having received € 2.48 billion in public funding. Moderna will charge $ 12-16 per dose in the US and up to $ 35 elsewhere.
Moderna has already committed 100% of its initial production to rich client countries. On the other hand, AstraZeneca has promised two-thirds of its first career to developing nations. The only problem is that the company, despite outsourcing, will only be able to supply 38% of the world’s population, and half of that if its vaccine turns out to require a double dose.
“Governments will prolong this crisis in all its human and economic tragedy. harm if they allow pharmaceutical companies to protect their monopolies and benefits, ”said Chema Vera, CEO of Oxfam International.
“No corporation will be able to meet the global need for a COVID-19 vaccine. This is why we ask you to share your patent-free knowledge and support a quantum leap in production to keep everyone safe. We need a popular vaccine, not a for-profit vaccine. ”
Alan hope
The Brussels Times
