James Cox
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), which represents the originator biopharmaceutical industry, has urged the Government to support global collaborative efforts to step up responsible Covid-19 vaccine dose-sharing and maximise production without compromising quality or safety.
IPHA, in partnership with EFPIA, the industry’s European representative body, and other organisations said vaccines-makers, governments and non-governmental organisations must work together to ensure that Covid-19 vaccine doses equitably reach all priority populations globally.
Production
“The originator biopharmaceutical industry has brought forward Covid-19 vaccine breakthroughs in record time. After more than 200 clinical trials and nearly 300 partnerships and collaborations among vaccines-makers globally, production has risen in just a few months from zero to 2.2 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of May,” said the IPHA.
“By the end of this year, analysts are predicting 11 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses will have been produced — enough doses to vaccinate the world’s adult population.
“But Covid-19 vaccines are not equally reaching all priority populations worldwide.”
The industry, in Europe and globally, outlined a number of steps to change that.
These include the ramping up of dose-sharing, working with governments to optimise vaccine production, eliminating trade barriers and working with poorer countries to make sure vaccines are administered efficiently and without wastage.
Global demand
IPHA chief executive Oliver O'Connor said: “Our industry wants to see the Covid-19 vaccines it discovered at record speed produced in enough quantities that can equitably meet global demand in the shortest possible timeframe. The focus is on responsible Covid-19 vaccine dose-sharing and maximising production without compromising quality or safety. We are continuing to innovate for the discovery of new vaccines and treatments for variants of concern. We would ask our government to support the five steps we have outlined which we believe form the pathway to steeling the world against further waves of infection.”
