Moderna Pushes Back At White House Goals For More Vaccine Donations
Reports in Politico say that although the Biden administration is pressing Moderna to increase international donations of its covid vaccine next year, the company is "resisting." Meanwhile, Stat reports on the failings of the international COVAX effort to get shots to people around the globe.
Politico:
Tensions Grow Between Moderna, White House Over Vaccine Production
Vaccine maker Moderna is resisting pressure from the White House to increase international donations of its Covid-19 shot in 2022, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter. The Biden administration has urged Moderna for months to increase its production domestically, in an attempt to help deliver on the president’s pledge to make the U.S. “an arsenal of vaccines” for the world. The White House has donated tens of millions of Moderna doses abroad. Its push for more comes despite the company’s agreement to supply 500 million doses to low- and middle-income countries, including 34 million doses this year, through the international vaccine aid program known as the COVAX Facility. (Banco, Cancryn and Owermohle, 10/7)
Stat:
'Naively Ambitious': How COVAX Failed On Its Promise To Vaccinate The World
Around the world this spring, country after country awaited their first Covid-19 vaccine shipments. They’d been promised deliveries by COVAX, the ambitious global collaboration set up to give people in rich and poor nations equitable access to the shots, but now, the vaccines were failing to arrive. In many cases, COVAX officials wouldn’t even answer the phone or respond to emails from top diplomats when asked what was happening. (Rosa Furneaux and Olivia Goldhill, 10/8)
In more covid news from around the world —
Stat:
Moderna Plans Vaccine Plant In Africa, But Some Say The Move Isn't Enough
Amid intense concern that low-income countries lack access to Covid-19 vaccines, Moderna (MRNA) announced plans to build a manufacturing plant in Africa that can produce up to 500 million doses each year for different diseases in a bid to combat the pandemic and other illnesses on a wider scale. But the move was quickly panned by patient advocates who saw a public relations gambit for thwarting efforts to convince drug makers to share technology, which could be used by other companies to boost vaccine production for global distribution more quickly. (Silverman, 10/7)
Bloomberg:
Handing Out Cash For Vaccine Jabs Pays Off, Swedish Study Finds
A Swedish study found that a modest $24 incentive increased vaccination rates, lending support to measures that aim to get more people to take Covid jabs by handing out cash. The study, led by researchers at Lund University, found that the vaccination rate increased by 4% among participants who were offered 200 Swedish kronor, or $24, to get the jab. The effect was seen across all ages, genders and levels of education, Erik Wengstrom, professor of economics at Lund University, said. (Rolander, 10/8)
Bloomberg:
U.K. Launches Largest-Ever Flu Shot Drive On Fear Of Covid Surge
The U.K is mounting a drive to give 35 million people the flu shot as fears rise that respiratory illnesses will surge after months of lockdown lowered immunity levels. Extremely low flu infection rates when people were socially distanced means deaths could rise this winter, when Covid and influenza viruses will be circulating at the same time. This marks the largest flu vaccine program in the country’s history, the Department of Health said in a statement on Friday. The health department has launched a campaign to highlight the impact the combination of Covid and flu can have and encourage those eligible to book free flu vaccines and Covid booster shots as soon as possible. This is in part to help ease pressure on the National Health Service. (Leon, 10/8)
And the world reacts after a malaria vaccine is announced —
CNN:
African Scientists' Historic Malaria Breakthrough Celebrated By Peers
The World Health Organization's decision to recommend the widespread use of a long-awaited vaccine against malaria is an endorsement of the African scientists involved in developing it, a top official in the global health body told CNN on Thursday. Dr. Akpaka Kalu, WHO Regional Advisor for Tropical and Vector-borne Disease, said positive results from ongoing pilot programs of malaria vaccinations in three African countries -- Ghana, Malawi and Kenya -- had led the organization to recommend widespread use of RTS,S/AS0 or Mosquirix among children in sub-Saharan Africa. "The datasets that were generated in these studies and field trials were by African scientists," Kalu said. (Adebayo, 10/7)
CNBC:
‘A Historic Moment’: Why A Malaria Vaccine In Africa Could Reignite The Fight Against Disease
Policymakers and health experts have welcomed the WHO’s authorization of the first ever malaria vaccine, which could be rolled out in sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2022. The WHO signed off on wider use of GSK’s RTS,S malaria vaccine following pilot programs in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, which tracked 800,000 children since 2019. GSK Chief Global Health Officer Thomas Breuer said the vaccine, which began development in 1987, can “reinvigorate the fight against malaria in the region at a time when progress on malaria control has stalled.” (Smith, 10/8)
