Canada could lead world in procuring vaccine

Success brings accusations of hoarding

For a government that's faced its fair share of criticism over handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statistics seem like a sign of exceptional competence.

Canada has pre-ordered far more COVID-19 vaccine per capita, and from more potential suppliers, than any other country, figures from North Carolina's Duke University suggest.

And that includes the two manufacturers — Pfizer and Moderna — that recently reported promising results on the effectiveness of their products.

But to international development organizations, Canada's accomplishment is something else a sign of how rich countries are “hoarding” coronavirus vaccine in a way that will deprive poorer nations for months or years.

And that's a self-defeating strategy, given the risk that outbreaks will continue to occur here until all countries have been sufficiently immunized, they argue.

“Rich countries buying up vaccines before they're even available is not unlike people hoarding toilet paper,” said Elise Legault of One, the anti-poverty group founded by pop star Bono. “Why should I, a relatively healthy person in Canada, get vaccinated before a nurse in Ghana on the front line who is much more at risk than me?”

She cites a recent report by the Rand Corporation that estimated an unequal distribution of vaccine could cost the world economy $1.2 trillion a year. For every dollar rich nations spend on immunizing people in the poorest countries, they would earn back almost $5 in economic benefit, it estimates.

But Karina Gould, the federal minister for International Development, said Tuesday the allegation against Canada is an unfair one.

For starters, it's unclear now how many of the vaccines Ottawa has deals to purchase will actually work and reach the market. Meanwhile, this country has been one of the leaders in backing COVAX, the global program to acquire and equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines, noted Gould in an interview.

Canada has committed more than $440 million to the initiative, making it the second biggest contributor after the UK. Half would pay for vaccine for this country, the rest would benefit poorer nations.

“Once a vaccine is approved, it needs to be available and accessible and equitably distributed around the world,” said the minister. “We recognize that until everyone on the planet is safe from COVID-19, no one is. And we know this is an issue we need to deal with.”

Even so, what if Canada ended up with a surplus from its various deals? Would Ottawa donate the doses Canadians didn't need to poorer countries?

Gould declined to make that commitment, calling it a hypothetical question that depends on how many of Canada's vaccine bets pay off. “We need to cross that bridge once we get there,” she said.

Then there's the question of those figures suggesting Canada is the world leader in vaccine procurement.

The federal government has agreements to purchase or options on 414 million doses of vaccine from several suppliers. All but one product would require two doses each, meaning it's enough to immunize all 38 million Canadians five times over.

According to data compiled by Duke's Global Health Innovation Center, that puts Canada well ahead of the next best-stocked nations, the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

“High income countries are hedging their bets, while low- income countries are left out,” the Duke centre charges.

But the statistics are misleading, as some of Canada's deals are only for options to buy, not firm commitments from the company, noted Amir Attaran, a University of Ottawa law professor and health policy expert.

A government source said Canada has procured 194 million doses and has options for 220 million more.

That said, if Canada does end up with a huge excess amount of vaccine at the end of the day, there would no excuse, said Attaran.

“If it is true that they've got (commitments for) 350 million or 400 million doses ... then yes, Canada is grossly unethical in hoarding vaccine far above its needs,” he said. “We must not accept delivery of more than we will use, or it will go to waste, and grotesquely deprive people who need it.”

Jason Nickerson, a humanitarian affairs adviser with Médecins Sans Frontières in Ottawa, concurred and said Canada will clearly have a surplus if most of those doses are delivered.

He urged Canada to follow the example of France, and commit now to donating its leftover vaccine, particularly to residents of refugee camps and other high-risk people.

HIGH INCOME COUNTRIES ARE HEDGING THEIR BETS, WHILE LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES ARE LEFT OUT.