Decision brings hope to people around the developing world that they will not have to wait at the back of the queue for their turn
By Paul Gallagher
November 23, 2020
AstraZeneca said it will produce close to a billion doses of its coronavirus vaccine over the next few months (Photo: University of Oxford/John Cairns/AP)
If the applause that welcomed the late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial results from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna was long and loud, then the response to the UK’s leading candidate should ring in the ears for quite some time.
Not only is the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine up to 90 per cent effective but the Cambridge-based pharmaceutical giant (2019 net revenue: $24.4bn) has promised “broad and equitable access” to it for all, bringing hope to people around the developing world that they will not have to wait at the back of the queue for their turn.
The partners are the only vaccine developers to have a deal with the global COVAX facility, which most low and middle income countries will rely on for much of their vaccine supply. In June, they committed to produce one billion doses for low and middle income countries, via a partnership with the Serum Institute of India. Now they have promised to sell the vaccine for no profit – between $2 and $3 per dose – for the duration of the pandemic.
Oxford vaccine makers AstraZeneca pledge to always sell £2.25 Covid jab at cost price to developing countries
The EU has already secured 400 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, followed by the US (300 million), China (200 million) Japan (120 million), and 100 million by the UK – four million of which are already here and waiting to be used pending regulatory approval. It led to a group of UN human rights experts calling on governments two weeks ago to stop hoarding vaccine supplies.
If the applause that welcomed the late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial results from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna was long and loud, then the response to the UK’s leading candidate should ring in the ears for quite some time.
Not only is the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine up to 90 per cent effective but the Cambridge-based pharmaceutical giant (2019 net revenue: $24.4bn) has promised “broad and equitable access” to it for all, bringing hope to people around the developing world that they will not have to wait at the back of the queue for their turn.
The partners are the only vaccine developers to have a deal with the global COVAX facility, which most low and middle income countries will rely on for much of their vaccine supply. In June, they committed to produce one billion doses for low and middle income countries, via a partnership with the Serum Institute of India. Now they have promised to sell the vaccine for no profit – between $2 and $3 per dose – for the duration of the pandemic.
Oxford vaccine makers AstraZeneca pledge to always sell £2.25 Covid jab at cost price to developing countries
The EU has already secured 400 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, followed by the US (300 million), China (200 million) Japan (120 million), and 100 million by the UK – four million of which are already here and waiting to be used pending regulatory approval. It led to a group of UN human rights experts calling on governments two weeks ago to stop hoarding vaccine supplies.
The WHO welcomed the efforts of Oxford/AstraZeneca to make the vaccine affordable
(Photo: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/AFP)
Although the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will provide a major boost to access in a number of countries, Amnesty International warned that committed supplies for most low and middle income still only cover a fraction of these countries’ populations.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organisation welcomed the efforts of Oxford/AstraZeneca to make the vaccine affordable and easy to store, which its chief scientist told me “will be good for countries and people everywhere”. Let the global rollout commence.
Although the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will provide a major boost to access in a number of countries, Amnesty International warned that committed supplies for most low and middle income still only cover a fraction of these countries’ populations.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organisation welcomed the efforts of Oxford/AstraZeneca to make the vaccine affordable and easy to store, which its chief scientist told me “will be good for countries and people everywhere”. Let the global rollout commence.
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