Billions of euros for an injection. While no known drug seems to give results on Covid-19, the major world powers are positioning themselves to receive the vaccine first that will perhaps eradicate the current pandemic, responsible for 675,000 deaths across the country. of the planet.
This competition with political, economic and diplomatic ramifications comes at a high price and sometimes feeds on thunderous declarations. It also raises the question of the fate of countries with lower incomes, for the time being doomed to the tail of the pack in this race for the miracle cure.
Which states are in the running
Several large blocks are now trying to reserve hundreds of millions of units in laboratories for the most promising experiments. This is particularly the case for China, Japan, Russia, the European Union and the United States.
They have allocated ten billion dollars to these public-private partnerships. Code name: Operation "Warp Speed", or "speed of the lightning" in French. On Friday, the French laboratory Sanofi announced that its vaccine candidate, developed jointly with the British GSK, had integrated this American program. The United States has thus reserved 100 million doses against funding of more than two billion dollars.
The European Union has joined the ranks by reserving itself 300 million units, for an unspecified sum, for next year. According to Brussels, "the contract envisaged with Sanofi would provide an option for all member states to buy the vaccine". The European executive is also continuing "intensive discussions" with other vaccine manufacturers, it is specified in a press release.
Japan for its part signed with the German-American alliance Biontech / Pfizer to secure 120 million doses of a potential vaccine.
Why laboratories need these pacts
Pressed to put an end to the pandemic, the laboratories are brought to accelerate the stages of development of the vaccine. To the point of manufacturing their production units ... without even knowing the results of clinical trials. That is to say without knowing if their vaccine will actually see the light of day.
Entering into agreements with States allows them to share the risks. Governments are supporting this research at high speed with billions of euros and dollars, aware that part of these investments will be made at a loss. In exchange, they ensure a supply the day the research is successful.
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“Although we do not know today which vaccine will be the most effective in the end, Europe is investing in a diverse portfolio of promising vaccines, based on different types of technologies. This increases our chances of getting an effective cure for the virus quickly, ”Commission President Ursula von der Leyen explained.
Why this raises questions
This bitter and costly competition seems to leave aside countries with lighter portfolios, unable to support colossal and risky investments. Their immunization could come after that of the richest countries, even though the pandemic sometimes poses the threat of extreme poverty, in addition to health risks.
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In mid-July, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution stressing that any vaccine against the Covid-19 pandemic should be considered "a global public good", insisting on the need for " rapid, equitable and unhindered access to […] safe, affordable, effective and quality medicines (and) vaccines ”.