The run for vaccines against the novel coronavirus is still on. France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy have teamed up to create Europe’s Inclusive Vaccines Alliance. Goal? Buying vaccines to be used in all European Union countries, and other partnering countries wishing to join the initiative.
Together, these four European countries announce they have come up with a first principle agreement with the AstraZeneca laboratory to purchase several millions of doses of vaccines. An information confirmed on June 13 by Health Minister Olivier Véran and secretary of state for the Economy Agnès Pannier-Runacher.
This principle agreement plans the AstraZeneca laboratory supplies the Alliance, if the project turns out well, with up to 400 million doses of vaccines at cost price. These vaccines will enable to vaccinate populations at risk in the European Union. The first deliveries are expected before the end of 2020.
Following this agreement, Health Minister Olivier Véran said: “This agreement enables us to secure access to vaccine-candidate like the first insurance in a context of strong international competition. We will have to keep on negotiating with our partners to lower the risk of being dependent to one project, by securing access to other vaccine-candidates, and thoroughly follow works’ scientific progress.”
As for secretary of state for the Economy Agnès Pannier-Runacher, she said: “As part of this principle agreement, AstraZeneca committed to set up a supply chain of the vaccine set in Europe. If the vaccine is scientifically validated, it will enable our fellow citizens to have access to dozens of millions of doses said to be delivered before the end of 2020. We will keep on talking with other laboratories to increase our chance of having a working vaccine for France and Europe quickly”.
Moreover, AstraZeneca has committed to supply over 2 billion doses at cost price in the entire world.
