Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Pushes Treaty On Future Pandemics Until November
Politico: US Succeeds In Efforts To Delay Pandemic Treaty
The United States and other countries opposed to the imminent penning of a pandemic treaty have succeeded in delaying discussion, with a World Health Organization draft text published today pushing any decisions to November. The draft decision, which countries will discuss this week at the World Health Assembly, signals that Washington's strong opposition ultimately won out after difficult discussions among member countries, aided in part by the reluctance among some other capitals that said they couldn't discuss a treaty in the midst of the pandemic. (Furlong, 5/25)
AP: WHO Asked To Review Spiked Italy Report, Whistleblower Case
Whistleblower protection groups urged the World Health Organization on Wednesday to launch an independent review into the case of an Italian researcher who reported being pressured to falsify data in a now-spiked WHO report into Italy’s coronavirus response. The groups, including Transparency International, Whistleblowing International Network and some 30 other public health and anti-corruption groups, sent an open letter to the president of the World Health Assembly. The assembly, WHO’s highest decision-making body, is made up of all WHO member states and is meeting this week. (Winfield, 5/26)
The Wall Street Journal: WHO Seeks More Data On Second Chinese Covid-19 Vaccine Up For Approval
The World Health Organization is seeking more data on Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s CoronaVac as it weighs whether to authorize a second Chinese Covid-19 vaccine under international pressure to help distribute more shots to poor countries. In recent weeks, the WHO has asked for more details regarding the safety of the shot and requested data about Sinovac’s manufacturing process to assess whether it is compliant with WHO standards, according to people familiar with the matter. One senior WHO official now expects a decision to be delayed into June. (Deng and Hinshaw, 5/26)
On vaccine patents —
The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Vaccine Makers Press Countries To Oppose Patent Waiver
Covid-19 vaccine makers have dialed up lobbying and public-relations efforts to rally opposition to a proposal to temporarily waive their patents. Since the Biden administration threw its support behind the waiver proposal early this month, pharmaceutical industry trade groups have been moving to support Germany, Japan and other countries that expressed opposition, people familiar with the lobbying said. The industry lobbyists have told the governments, in meetings and phone calls, that a waiver wouldn’t address shortages any time soon, while straining raw material supplies, the people said. (Hopkins and Loftus, 5/26)
