Rich Nations Already Bought 80% Of Moderna, Pfizer COVID Vaccines For 2021, What About The Rest

The past few days had given some great news when it comes to the global search for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Two US-based drug companies, Pfizer and Moderna announced the completion of Phase-3 clinical tests of their respective COVID-19 vaccine candidates, with high efficiency.

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Undoubtedly it is a great achievement and could help the world battle against COVID-19, or is it? Well, it might not, in the real sense, at least in the near future.

Moderna, Pfizer seek emergency use in US

Both Moderna and Pfizer are set to seek emergency use authorization in the US, following which the vaccine could be rolled out there this years itself.

It is good news for US, which is the worst COVID-19 affected country, but not so much for the rest of the world.

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine candidate (Image: Reuters)

That is because more than 80% of the US drugmaker Pfizer¡¯s COVID-19 vaccine has already been sold to the richest governments across the world, according to an analysis by a UK-based campaign group.

Pfizer to produce 1.3 billion doses

The company said it will produce 1.3 billion doses of its vaccine, produced in partnership with the German company BioNTech, by the end of 2021.

Big purchases include the EU with 200 million doses and an option for a further 100 million, the UK with 40 million, and the US with 100 million and an option to buy another 500 million, according to the group.

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Moderna to produce 100 million does for US in 2021

Similarly, Moderna has also got big order form the rich countries including a 100 million doses for the US in 2021.

This is putting the developing and poor nations at a position of disadvantage, especially the poor African and Asian countries that often depend on international charities for medical supplies.

Anticipating the outsize demand for any approved vaccine, the World Health Organization formed the COVAX facility in April to ensure equitable distribution.

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COVAX brought together governments, scientists, civil society and the private sector ¡ª though Pfizer is not currently part of the facility.

AstraZeneca - Pledged 300 million doses for developing countries

As of now AstraZeneca is the only vaccine maker who has pledged 300 million doses for developing countries.

Ever since the hunt for a vaccine started showing signs of improvement, there has been a growing call, including by the WHO for an equitable distribution of the vaccine, which is appearing to be highly unlikely now.

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Benjamin Schreiber, COVID-19 vaccine coordinator at the UN's children's fund UNICEF, said it was vital that all nations had fair access to the new vaccine.

"We really need to avoid a situation of rich nations gobbling up all the vaccines and then there's not enough doses for the poorest nations," he said.

What about India?

Like the rest of the world, India too is trying to get the maximum doses of the vaccine at the earliest. But what could work in India's favour is local manufacturing.

The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine will be locally manufactured and sold as Covishield in India by Pune-based Serum Institute of India.

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Another local pharma major Dr Reddy¡¯s Laboratories Ltd have tied up with Russia's Covid vaccine candidate Sputnik V, and as per the deal 10 crore doses of the Sputnik vaccine should be supplied to Dr Reddy¡¯s.

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There is also COVAXIN, the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

The vaccine, codeveloped by ICMR has also shown promise in the trials so far.