About: vaccines
G7 & EU Must Put Lives before Profits and ‘Vaccinate Our World’ Now!
After more than a year blanketed by the pandemic—communities, economies, and health systems in the European Union and beyond continue to be devastated. It is all too clear that the world is in desperate need of an immediate and novel...
Ex vaccine adviser: EU didn’t look hard enough at producers’ capacity
The EU should have paid more attention to some vaccine manufacturers and their effective capacity when signing the contracts, the former co-chair of the EU vaccine steering board said during an event on Tuesday (18 May).
Kyriakides: AstraZeneca remains an important part of the EU portfolio
After months of broken promises and unmet contractual targets, the European Commission has stepped up its legal offensive against pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca. But EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides says its vaccine remains an “important part” of the EU portfolio in the efforts to protect Europeans against the COVID-19.
Health expert: Routine immunisation should not be put on back-burner due to COVID
A real commitment from all stakeholders and policymakers is needed to support a catch-up immunisation campaign and overcome the difficulties routine vaccination programmes have experienced during the pandemic, according to a key vaccine stakeholder.
‘Mistakes were made’ when vaccines were ordered, EU’s Timmermans admits
The European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans has admitted that mistakes were made in Brussels when COVID-19 vaccines were being ordered and suggested taking stock "at the end of the pandemic" of what went wrong and what was done right. EURACTIV's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
AstraZeneca fails to reassure MEPs over timely vaccine deliveries
Grilled by European lawmakers, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot, gave only vague explanations about recent supply cuts of COVID-19 vaccines and about the preferential treatment given to the UK, failing to guarantee the expected EU deliveries for the second quarter of the year.
France announces development aid boost
After international stakeholders came together on 9 February to discuss new solidarity-based development models, the French government presented a text on Wednesday (17 February) to increase development aid to 0.55% of the country's wealth by 2022. EURACTIV France reports.
EU Commission wants extra €1.5 billion to fight pandemic
The European Commission on Monday (1 February) said it will need to tap into the EU budget margins this year – around €1.5 billion – to monitor progress made with vaccination campaigns, finance pharmacovigilance studies, and fight against the new variants of COVID-19.
EU tightens controls on vaccine exports, leaves door open for bans
On the back of increasing tensions with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the European Commission launched a scheme to monitor exports of vaccines on Friday (29 January), leaving the door open to reject exports of vaccines produced in the EU as it sees fit.
Spain to launch Whatsapp channel to fight vaccine disinformation
Spain’s health ministry will soon launch a WhatsApp interactive channel to fight against disinformation on COVID-19 vaccines, El País reported. This should help reduce the percentage of Spaniards who still refuse to get vaccinated. EURACTIV's partner EuroEfe reports.
EU to fund transfer of COVID-19 patients across borders to prevent hospitals collapse
The European Union will finance the transfer of patients across borders within the bloc to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations spike in the continent.
Progress but the fight against COVID-19 is just beginning
Over the last few weeks, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced they have begun a “rolling review” process on COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University, Moderna and from Pfizer in partnership with BioNTech. The announcements are indicative...
EU wants to buy COVID-19 vaccines up front – unless they’re made in America
The European Commission is seeking a mandate from EU countries to buy promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates in advance from pharmaceutical firms, as long as they are not produced solely in the United States, officials said.
Oxfam: COVID-19 vaccinations for vulnerable could cost fraction of top pharma’s yearly profits
Oxfam is urging governments and pharmaceutical companies to guarantee that vaccines, tests, and treatments will be patent-free and equitably distributed to all nations and people, ahead of the World Health Assembly next week.
US says China trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine as markets slump
Chinese hackers are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research, US authorities said Wednesday (13 May), ratcheting up tensions between the superpowers as markets slumped on warnings from the US Federal Reserve that prolonged shutdowns could cause "lasting damage."
Vaccine telethon raises billions as Europe eases virus lockdown
Hopes rose in the fight against the coronavirus on Monday (4 May) as world leaders pledged billions of euros for a vaccine in a special telethon and European countries edged out of lockdown.
New health tools for COVID-19
How to ensure access for all to a coronavirus vaccine should be the priority for world leaders. Dr Bernard Pécoul offers five ideas leaders should consider this week as they aim to raise €7.5 billion to fund vaccine research.
National immunisation routines ‘more critical than ever’ in wake of COVID-19 outbreak
The recent COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated that we must not let down our guard on routine immunisations, Dr Hans Kluge, World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for Europe, stressed in a speech marking European Immunisation Week 2020.
EU offers support to German vaccine company coveted by Trump
The European Commission said on Monday (16 March) it offered up to €80 million of financial support to German company CureVac to scale up development and production of a coronavirus vaccine in Europe.
EU ‘well prepared’ to deal with coronavirus, says health expert
Following the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China, which has now infected more than 600 people and claimed the lives of 18, health authorities around the world are now mobilising to try to contain the spread of the disease.
Europe gives go ahead to market Ebola vaccine
The European Union authorised the marketing of a vaccine against Ebola on Monday (11 November), permitting the first wider commercial use of a protection that has helped stem an outbreak in DR Congo.
Poll: Nearly half of Europeans think vaccines ‘can often produce severe side effects’
85% of EU citizens believe vaccines are an effective way of preventing diseases, but almost half of them think vaccines "can often produce severe side-effects," according to a new Eurobarometer survey.
How Brexit will impact healthcare for our pets and farm animals
Brexit, particularly the prospect of 'no deal', poses a serious threat to animal welfare standards and food security, writes Carel du Marchie Sarvaas.