The rat race for COVID vaccine
Pharma companies are madly competing with each other when it comes to finding the first effective vaccine against COVID19. Because of its topical importance, this race is not just between corporate companies alone. It has expanded to being a global competition between various countries (at both centre and state levels) invoking geo-politics. This tight race against time for finding a vaccine to inoculate the whole world is unprecedented in human history.
HIGH STAKES INVOLVED
The sheer volume of expected sales for such a vaccine at the moment is breathtaking. It’s a big money game running into billions of dollars. Hence it is not a surprise that many companies want to win this jackpot. “COVID vaccine is going to be a life saving drug and its sales plus distribution should be considered from a humanitarian point of view. It should not be used as a tool for making exorbitant profits by companies to exploit the poor and needy,” explains K.K. Shailaja Teacher, Minister of Health and Social Welfare for Kerala.
“All nations need to be given licenses and granted equal opportunity in the production of these life saving vaccines. International agencies like the UN and International Court of Justice should consider intervening, if necessary, to give a level playing field for all countries on this global public health matter,” adds
Due to the severity of the circumstances, companies are requesting the FDA for an early deployment of vaccines even before the clinical trials end. The scientific data provided by these companies thus far show that their respective vaccines are indeed effective. However, the current clinical trials being carried out are not double blind, and therefore there is an ethical responsibility to let the volunteer know whether they are in the placebo group or not, once the study becomes unblind.
a virologist at Laboratory of Molecular Virology, International Center for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology, Italy
Shailaja, who has become a global female icon and role model in the fight against COVID.
VACCINE STOCKPILING
Rich and prosperous countries are giving advance orders to stockpile hundreds of millions of doses in advance. Poorer countries are unable to match on this hoarding race because of the astronomical costs involved.
Sudden stockpiling at present market prices by richer countries could ensure prices for vaccines not to drop in near future. This in turn would not make life easier for poorer countries. This pandemic and global vaccination drive is going to bring in a multi-faceted economics problem as well.
WHO PAYS FOR VACCINES: GOVERNMENT OR PEOPLE?
In health insurance driven countries, it is still unclear whether insurance companies would take care of the costs or whether their citizens will have to pay an additional premium for getting vaccinated. In European countries, there is no full clarity as to whether the state would bear all the costs for vaccinating the entire population. In
African countries, it is not clear whether other richer countries or international organisations would step-in to help them.