Dozens of research teams around the world are looking for a means of rescuing the pandemic. But who gets protection first and at what price? Chancellor Merkel is promoting a global conference this Monday.
Brussels / Berlin (dpa) - A corona vaccine for everyone as soon as possible: In a worldwide effort, 7.5 billion euros are to be collected on Monday for the development of funds against the deadly virus, which all countries should then get at fair prices.
Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to a "significant financial contribution" from Germany before an online donor conference in Brussels. According to information from the German Press Agency, it is a three-digit million amount.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had convened the donor conference, at which heads of state and government and organizations from around the world can pledge donations. In the "Spiegel", von der Leyen was confident that the desired billion sum would come together. The challenge is huge. "We have to develop a vaccine, make it, and make it immediately available in every corner of the world at an affordable price. There has never been a task like this before."
Pope Francis also backed the conference objectives on Sunday. While there are already initial approaches to medication, many researchers are not expecting a safe, large-scale vaccine until next year. An estimated eight billion euros were missing for the development of the vaccine alone, Merkel said in her weekly podcast.
Von der Leyen said the donation goal for the donor conference is just the starting signal. "We'll need a lot more on the route to the end of the pandemic." The production of billions of vaccine doses in particular is becoming very expensive and could overwhelm poor countries. "This cannot be done according to the motto: if you have the money, you have the vaccine," said von der Leyen.
Merkel said: "Germany is accepting this responsibility, and that is why we will also ensure that a vaccine benefits everyone once it has been developed, as well as the medication that is necessary and the diagnostic options as much as possible." From the point of view of the organizers, all participants in the donor conference should commit to this goal.
Merkel welcomed the large alliance of governments and private foundations. Also on board for the "Coronavirus Crisis Response" conference include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank and G20 presidency Saudi Arabia, as well as the private Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the coalition for innovations in epidemic prevention, Cepi and the Global Vaccine and Immunization Alliance Gavi.
There was no commitment from the USA until Sunday. The EU Commission said it had good talks with the White House and was urging the US government to participate in the global initiative.
The development organization ONE warned of the consequences of the worldwide delayed introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine. "Unfortunately, developing countries generally only have access to newly developed vaccines and medicines seven years later," said Germany director Stephan Exo-Kreischer. This would make it impossible to combat the Covid 19 pandemic effectively.
Germany should join a "patent pool" and ask other countries to do the same, said Exo-Kreischer. This pool would allow developers and generic manufacturers to manufacture large quantities of Covid-19 drugs and vaccines at an affordable price. The aid and human rights organization medico international made a similar statement.
The Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers emphasized that the industry is scientifically and financially capable of promoting the development of vaccines and medicines. In the emergency situation of a pandemic, things have to go faster than usual, said vfa President Han Steutel. It is like an oar race: "The two also finishes, even quickly. But the eighth is faster. And now we need the eighth."
Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, EU Council President Charles Michel and von der Leyen all made public contributions to the donor conference in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" on Saturday. The development of a vaccine for everyone will be a "unique global public good of the 21st century" and "the task of our generation", it says.
Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek told the Funke media group: "Nobody should think that national solo efforts will be successful." Wealthier regions of the world would have a moral obligation to help. And they would benefit if the pandemic were pushed back on all continents.
Podcast
Information from the EU Commission on the donor conference
