EU not to renew Astra, J&J vaccine contracts on expiry

DENMARK BECOMES FIRST IN EU TO DROP ASTRA VACCINE EU SPEEDS UP J&J JAB REVIEW; RECOMMENDATION NEXT WEEK

The European Union (EU) Commission has decided not to renew Covid-19 vaccine contracts next year with Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Italian daily La Stampa reported on Wednesday, citing a source from the Italian health ministry.

“The European Commission, in agreement with the leaders of many (EU) countries, has decided that the contracts with the companies that produce (viral vector) vaccines that are valid for the current year will not be renewed at their expiry,” the newspaper reported.

It added that Brussels would rather focus on Covid-19 vaccines using messenger RNA (MRNA) technology, such as Pfizer's and Moderna’s. A spokesman for the EU Commission said it was keeping all options open to be prepared for the next stages of the pandemic, for 2022 and beyond. “We cannot, however, comment on contractual issues,” the spokesman added.

Later on Wednesday the President of the European Commission said the EU was in talks with Pfizer and

Biontech for a new contract for 1.8 billion doses, confirming a Reuters report from last week. “We need to focus on technologies that have proven their worth. MRNA vaccines are a clear case in point,” she added.

Denmark drops Astra jab

without saying how it obtained the information.

S. Africa accuses J&J of ‘unreasonable demands’ South Africa is facing delays to vaccine supplies because of “unreasonable terms” being demanded by manufacturers Denmark has become the first including country in the European Johnson & Johnson in return Union to drop Astrazeneca’s for delivering millions of vaccine from its Covid-19 much-needed doses, Health inoculation program, according Minister Zweli Mkhize said. to local media reports. The country’s health EU speeds up J&J jab review authorities are due to brief EU’S drug regulator is accelerating reporters at 2 pm in its review of blood-clot Copenhagen. State broadcaster reports with Johnson & DR was among media Johnson’s vaccine and said it outlets to report the decision, expects to issue a recommendation next week. Member states should store doses as they await guidance and EMA will decide whether “regulatory action is necessary.”

France says to administer J&J jab as planned

France will use Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine as planned despite its suspension in the US, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, adding France had received a first shipment of 200,000 doses. After a slow start, authorities are aiming to speed up France's drive with the target of 30 million people having received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by mid-june.