EUROPE – AstraZeneca and the European Commission have reached a settlement on the delivery of pending COVID-19 vaccine doses by the drug maker, ending a row about shortages that had weighed on the company and the region’s vaccination campaign.
The dispute plunged the European Union into crisis earlier this year as states, under pressure to speed up vaccinations, scrambled for shots. It also caused a public relations crisis for AstraZeneca, which is led by Frenchman Pascal Soriot.
Brussels has since reduced its reliance on the Anglo-Swedish drug maker, with vaccine supplies coming from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Under this settlement, AstraZeneca has committed to deliver 60 million doses of its vaccine, Vaxzevria, by the end of the third quarter this year, 75 million by the end of the fourth quarter and 65 million by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
The European Commission launched legal action against AstraZeneca in April for not respecting its contract for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and for not having a “reliable” plan to ensure timely deliveries.
The EU’s executive body said that under the new agreement, member states would be provided with regular delivery schedules and if there were any delayed doses, capped rebates would be applied.
Vaccinations
“There are significant differences in vaccination rates between our member states, and the continued availability of vaccines, including AstraZeneca’s, remain crucial,” said EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides.
The EU settlement allows for distribution while the highly-contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus is causing a spike in cases and vaccines are being studied for longevity of protection.
“I’m very pleased that we have been able to reach a common understanding which allows us to move forward and work in collaboration with the European Commission to help overcome the pandemic,” said AstraZeneca senior executive Ruud Dobber.
The European Commission said this week that 70% of the European Union’s adult population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, hitting a target it set at the beginning of the year.
About 92 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine have been distributed to EU member states so far, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. That is far below the 437 million doses delivered by Pfizer/BioNTech.
Would you like to get regular updates of such news articles? Subscribe to our HealthCare Africa News, email newsletters, which provide the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s health, pharma and biotech industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE
Other articles you may like
-
J&J inks deal with African Vaccine Acquisition Trust for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate
AFRICA – Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, has entered into an agreement with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to make available up…
-
AstraZeneca delivers first batch of Covid-19 in Antarctica
ANTARCTICA - The AstraZeneca Covid vaccine has finally reached the Antarctic, nine months after it was introduced.This week, it was flown in to immunize the 23 staff members who have…
-
UNICEF secures long-term supply of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
RUSSIA – UNICEF has entered an agreement with Russian Direct Investment fund(RDIF), through its wholly owned subsidiary, Human Vaccine, for a supply of 220 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine.…