Pfizer Supply 500 Million Vaccine Doses for Poor Countries

UMMATIMES - Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and BioNTech are providing the US government with 500 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at a non-profit price to help end the pandemic. The US government will donate vaccine doses to low- and middle-income countries and the organizations that support them.

The US purchases vaccine doses to allocate to 92 low- and middle-income countries and economies and the 55 member states of the African Union. This dose is part of Pfizer and BioNTech's previously announced pledge to provide two billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to low- and middle-income countries over the next 18 months.

"Our partnership with the US government will help bring hundreds of millions of doses of our vaccine to the poorest countries around the world as quickly as possible," said Pfizer chairman and chief executive Albert Bourla.

Bourla said COVID-19 has impacted everyone, everywhere. So to win the battle against this pandemic, it must be ensured that everyone has quick access to vaccines.

"I want to thank President Biden for his leadership in protecting our most disadvantaged global neighbor," Bourla said.

Bourla claims his company's focus during the pandemic is fair and equitable distribution. He said his company was already taking part in helping to vaccinate the world.

"As vaccine developers, we feel obligated to develop vaccines that are well tolerated and highly effective and make them available to as many people around the world as possible," said Bourla.

Meanwhile, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin, added that this agreement underscores the importance of joint efforts of the private and public sectors to provide solutions to help end this pandemic.

"We are also committed to realizing sustainable solutions by supporting the establishment of manufacturing networks on various continents," said Sahin.

Deliveries of 200 million doses will begin in August 2021 and continue through the rest of the year. A total of 300 million doses for 2022 will be delivered between January and the end of June 2022.

The US government also has the option for additional doses by 2022. To date, Pfizer and BioNTech have shipped 700 million doses to more than 100 countries or territories.