Vaccination
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Health fund of $1.1 bn announced in Paris to support vaccines production in Africa
Est. 4minThe release of over a billion dollars to accelerate vaccine production in Africa has been announced at the Global Forum on Vaccine Innovation and Sovereignty taking place in Paris on Thursday (June 20).
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In France, low rate of HPV vaccination raises concerns among health experts
Est. 5minVaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) in France remains one of the lowest in the European Union, prompting health professionals to warn of a risk to public health and the importance of vaccinating boys too.
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EU health agencies recommend vaccines targeting Omicron subgroup for autumn
Est. 4minOn Tuesday (6 June), EU health agencies recommended updating COVID-19 vaccines to target XBB strains, a subgroup of Omicron, with hopes to advance protection from infection and mild-symptomatic disease.
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Pfizer France head: COVID vaccine contract talks remain a ‘business secret’
Est. 3minThe negotiations that led to the European Commission brokering the controversial COVID-19 vaccine contracts with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer remain "a business secret", the chairman of Pfizer France told French Senators during a hearing on Wednesday (29 March).
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Bulgaria leads group opposing Pfizer COVID vaccine supply conditions
Est. 3minBulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary have demanded that the European Commission renegotiate the conditions for the supply of COVID vaccines manufactured by Pfizer. The health ministers of the four countries tabled a joint request during an EU Council meeting on 14 March.
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New York Times takes EU Commission to court over ‘Pfizergate’ affair
Est. 3minThe New York Times is suing the European Commission for failing to make public the text messages exchanged between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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EU-US to address pharma standards, China medtech protectionism
Est. 4minThe EU and the US are expected to extend the mutual recognition for manufacturing standards to plasma and vaccines, as well as to keep monitoring the worrying protectionist developments in China on medical devices.
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Adult immunisation key in shift towards preventative health
Est. 5minEuropean populations are growing older, increasing the burden on already struggling health systems, but one way of reducing the burden is through adult immunisation programmes to combat vaccine-preventable diseases.
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EU eyes autumn approval of Pfizer jab for COVID-19 variants
Est. 3minThe EU's medicines watchdog said Wednesday (10 August) it aims to approve this autumn a Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine adapted for two fast-spreading subvariants of the Omicron strain.
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Backing IP waiver is wrong move in Europe’s fight against Covid
Est. 6minA Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) waiver is neither useful nor effective in solving global vaccination issues, and comes with plenty of negative consequences, writes Pieter Cleppe.
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WTO ministerial conference delivers TRIPS waiver to criticism
Est. 8minMembers of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday (17 June) reached an agreement to waive certain parts of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), though the deal has been criticised by both pharmaceutical firms and civil society groups.
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WTO strikes global trade deals after ‘roller coaster’ talks
Est. 5minThe World Trade Organization agreed on the first change to global trading rules in years 17 June as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise.
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Sanofi announces encouraging results for its booster against Omicron variant
Est. 3minFrench pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced on Monday (13 June) encouraging results for its new generation vaccine against COVID, developed in collaboration with British company GSK, after two conclusive clinical trials.
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Indian vaccine giant Serum plans African plant in global expansion
Est. 3minThe Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, is considering setting up its first manufacturing plant in Africa as it looks to expand globally after its success in selling COVID-19 shots, its CEO said on 23 May.
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Industry disputes claims that waiving IP rights will ensure availability of medicines
Est. 5minThe European Commission is leading talks on a waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on COVID vaccines and treatments. However, critics from the pharmaceutical industry argue that changes to the current IP system could jeopardise research and development in their sector.
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EU defends IP waiver compromise amid pressure on India, South Africa to reject it
Est. 6minA broad international platform of activists, unions and experts has urged India and South Africa to reject the leaked compromise on intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, which the European Commission considers the ‘most promising path’ to sort out the issue.
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Better tools are need to end tuberculosis and anti-microbial resistance
Est. 6minWe need better tools to end TB and AMR, and the EU can and must lead these efforts, writes Nicolae Ștefănuță.
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South Africa urged to reject EU offer on COVID waiver
Est. 3minLeading economists have urged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject an EU and US compromise that would provide a temporary waiver on the intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines, warning that “a bad deal is worse than no deal".
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COVAX vaccine supply outstrips demand for the first time
Est. 5minThe global project to share COVID-19 vaccines is struggling to place more than 300 million doses in the latest sign the problem with vaccinating the world is now more about demand than supply.
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Moderna eyes COVID booster by August, not clear yet if Omicron-specific needed
Est. 3minAn Omicron-specific booster could be ready by August, the CEO of U.S. biotech firm Moderna told Reuters, but the firm is still gathering clinical data to determine whether that vaccine would offer better protection than a new dose of the existing jab.
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EU, Africa at odds over vaccine patents ahead of summit
Est. 3minThe EU on Monday (14 February) stood by its refusal to lift patent protections on Covid vaccines, just days ahead of a summit with African Union countries who see the issue as a priority.
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Paris, Brussels ban Canada-style Covid ‘freedom convoys’
Est. 4minParis police said Thursday (10 February) they would ban so-called "freedom convoys" inspired by a truckers' protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa.
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EU pushes for COVID vaccinations in Africa as supply ‘no longer’ a problem
Est. 3minTop European Union officials said on Wednesday (9 February) low absorption of COVID-19 vaccines in African countries had become the main problem in the global vaccine rollout following a recent increase in supplies of jabs.
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COVID vaccine tracker should be applied to 40 other vaccines, says ECDC
Est. 5minEU countries need to further develop tracking tools to monitor vaccine rates, the director of the EU's infectious disease agency (ECDC) said, amongst talks of centring the role of digital health in preventative care.