Brussels seeks Washington’s help to close vaccine gap

The European Union is reportedly preparing to ask the United States to allow the export of large numbers of doses of the AstraZeneca COVID19 vaccine, as it attempts to make up for shortfalls in supply and rejuvenate its faltering vaccine program.

The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has insisted on centralized vaccination requisition and administration for the 27-member bloc, but has been heavily criticized for a lack of progress.

The EU has blamed the delay on the United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical company, saying production problems have delayed the supply of 300 million doses, ordered in June last year. The company is on course to deliver just 40 percent of the expected allocation in the first three months of this year.

“We are working 24/7 to improve delivery and hopefully catch up to the expectations for” the second quarter, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told EU lawmakers last month.

In addition to doses of the finished vaccine, the EU also hopes to keep up supplies of ingredients from the US that are required for its own vaccine-making facilities.

“We trust that we can work together with the US to ensure that vaccines produced or bottled in the US for the fulfilment of vaccine producers’ contractual obligations with the EU will be fully honored,” a commission representative was cited by the Financial Times as saying.

US President Joe Biden’s administration is widely regarded as being more sympathetic to Europe than the administration of former president Donald Trump, and last week Biden spoke to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about how to work together on managing the pandemic.

As a result, the EU’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, reportedly will be working with US COVID-19 response coordinator Jeffrey Zients on matters relating to the supply chain.

Although, like the EU, Washington has a significant order in place with AstraZeneca, the vaccine has yet to receive medical approval from US regulators.

“The president’s first priority is to make vaccines available for every American,” the Financial Times quoted a White House official as saying.

“The US and EU have committed to deepening cooperation on pandemic response, including by enhancing public health capabilities and information sharing,” the official added.

In recent days, the Italian government blocked the export to Australia of 250,000 doses of the vaccine, produced at an AstraZeneca facility in Italy. Australia said losing one shipment would not have a significant impact on its vaccine program, but it has asked the commission to review the move.