COVID-19 vaccines: The EU is not without blame

The EU and AstraZeneca have entered into an open conflict that benefits no one, according to MEP Geert Bourgeois. “In addition, the pharmaceutical companies are increasingly portrayed as capitalist enterprises that are only out for profit, while pride and gratitude are in order.” According to Geert Bourgeois, both parties must reach an amicable solution.

No one disputes the fact that the public authorities in each Member State provide support for research and development (R&D). This certainly doesn’t only happen for pharmaceutical companies, MEP Bourgeois says. “When R&D leads to new products, new production methods and savings in energy and CO2, everyone benefits. Moreover, R&D is our shift to future prosperity. However, it has not yet been disclosed what specific support has been provided in this respect.”

Pharma’s great achievement

But it is and always will be these pharmaceutical companies that have accomplished a great achievement by developing effective vaccines in less than a year, Geert Bourgeois continues. “Their employees have made and still are making extremely strenuous efforts towards development and unprecedented production in a short time. This should evoke appropriate feelings of pride and gratitude.”

Inappropriate left-wing demand

Geert Bourgeois calls the left-wing demand (sp.a, Open VLD) to oblige pharmaceutical companies to hand over their know-how in order to have the vaccines produced generically inappropriate. “Apart from the practical unfeasibility, this is a proposal that is an attack on our strong welfare model and amounts to a brutal expropriation.”

Delivering at cost
Moreover, these parties forget that the maligned pharmaceutical companies make their social contribution to the COVAX programme to help developing countries get vaccines. AstraZeneca even supplies the North and South at cost price, Geert Bourgeois said.

Commitment to effort, not to results

The EU now claims it is receiving too few vaccines, but Geert Bourgeois says it is not without blame itself. “Reading the contract, however, reveals that, just as with Curevac, it is a best efforts obligation. The EU did not stipulate any definite obligation of result. On the other hand, the EU has made a contractual commitment to support AstraZeneca in the development of the vaccine.”

“The conclusion is clear: both parties must put an end to this troubled course and come to an amicable solution in everyone’s interest,” Geert Bourgeois concludes.