–
A scientific advisory committee has ruled that Belgium may proceed to purchase the corona vaccine developed by Astrazeneca.
–
Worldwide, there is a race between countries and regions to ensure the supply of corona vaccines as soon as they are on the market.
–
Earlier this summer, the European Commission therefore signed an agreement with the British pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca for 300 million doses of its vaccine. Research into that vaccine, which was developed at the University of Oxford, is one of the most advanced projects worldwide.
–
The Commission concludes such deals with the aim of later distributing the vaccines to the population of all Member States on the one hand and developing countries on the other. The European member states are presented with the file and have the choice whether or not to join the system and to put their share of the money on the table.
–
‘No critical points’
In Belgium, an advisory committee was set up to evaluate the purchase files on the basis of, among other things, scientific insights, possible side effects of the vaccine and the cost price.
–
The committee has reviewed the Astrazeneca file and finds that ‘no critical points have been found’ and that there is therefore no reason not to agree with the terms and conditions agreed by the Commission with the company.
–
This committee consists of academic experts and experts from the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), the FPS Public Health, Sciensano and the communities. The committee only gives advice. The ultimate purchase decision rests with the Interministerial Conference (IMC) Public Health.
–
Should any efficiency or side-effect problems arise during ongoing studies of the vaccine, and the vaccine does not receive a green light from the European Medicines Agency at the end of the journey, the contract will be terminated.
–
Risk groups
However, this does not mean that the Astrazeneca vaccine will soon be available to all Belgians. First, there are months of work to complete the investigation and ramp up production. Second, the agreed vaccine volumes will be used for the elderly, healthcare workers and risk groups.
–
The race to the vaccine
Belgium is participating in the European deal to purchase the vaccine from Astrazeneca. The EU is also in talks with many other companies because only a handful of the more than 200 vaccines will make it. Follow up the race tijd.be/coronavaccin
–
–
Meanwhile, the European Commission is still in-depth discussions with Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Janssen Pharmaceutica, and the Sanofi-GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) tandem to bring in hundreds of millions of doses of their vaccines. On Thursday it became known that ‘exploratory talks’ with the German Curevac have also started.
–
“Each series of conversations we conclude with the pharmaceutical industry brings us closer to victory over the virus,” said Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
–
Each series of conversations we wrap up with the pharmaceutical industry brings us closer to victory over the virus.
Ursula Von der Leyen
President of the European Commission.
–
–
–
It is not illogical that the Commission is betting on several horses. She keeps in mind that not all vaccines make it to the finish line.
–
Spoetnik V
Russia mainly relies on a vaccine that is developed in its own country. Large-scale testing will begin next week. In addition, 40,000 people are injected with the Russian vaccine. The vaccine was named Sputnik V, a reference to the first Soviet satellite from 1957.
–
President Vladimir Putin recently personally introduced the vaccine to the world, stating that it has already been administered to one of his daughters. Vaccine experts responded cautiously.
–
–
