It is the vaccine that should skyrocket the vaccination rate of the French, but it will be desired for several more weeks.
While the marketing authorization for AstraZeneca's product, designed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, is expected within a few days, the laboratory is experiencing severe delays.
"We will only receive 4.6 million doses by the end of March, only 29% of what was expected
(Editor's note: out of 16 million doses)
", announces the Ministry of Health.
So far, the government had always mentioned 5 million doses in February and 4 million in March with regard to the British firm.
“Europe has invested billions to develop the first vaccines and create a real global common good.
Now companies must keep their promises, ”the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was annoyed on Tuesday.
"A very big disappointment"
At the Ministry of Health, it evokes "a very great disappointment" and we also address direct complaints to the manufacturer: "The company had problems in its clinical trials, suspended much of September and October.
The marketing authorization (AMM) will be issued in February and not in December as provided for in the contract, but the whole purpose of the pre-order contract is to finance the production at risk.
The company should have started production in December to put vaccines in stock and deliver them as soon as the MA has been obtained.
"
The situation is on the other hand on the way to returning to normal with Pfizer-BioNTech, whose quarterly schedule should be respected, just like that of Moderna for a total of 10.5 million doses expected by the end of March.
The doubts about AstraZeneca do not end with its ability to honor its commitments.
The effectiveness of the drug in older people has been questioned in Germany, leading to a denial from the company and the government.
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Anti-Covid vaccine: why is France so lagging behind?
The French Ministry of Health acknowledges working on "the way in which AstraZeneca will fit into the vaccine strategy" according to the marketing authorization issued and the opinions given in advance by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the High Authority for Health (HAS).
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Unlike doses of Moderna and Pfizer, the vaccine from the British laboratory is easy to store.
Stored between 2 and 8 ° C, it is intended to be distributed in pharmacies, when the number of doses received will be sufficient to water the more than 20,000 pharmacies in the territory.
