Profit above human lives? US, UK and Europe lock vaccines in advance
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More than 200 candidate vaccines are being developed with 23 having progressed to clinical trials with human volunteers.
The race is on in labs across the world to win the race to produce a vaccine to deal with the world health crisis.
More than 200 candidate vaccines are being developed with 23 having progressed to clinical trials with human volunteers.
Pharmaceuticals, conglomerates and even several governments across the world are exploiting the pandemic to earn hefty profits.
Leading Western powers are stockpiling on vaccines for the Wuhan virus even before they are produced or proved that they work.
At least three blocs, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union are placing advance orders to private companies.
Despite having a population of 300 million people, US locked up 600 million doses of a vaccine for almost two billion dollars.
The same is the case with the United Kingdom. The British government has signed deals with three vaccine programs for 190 million doses. The population of the country is around 63 million as per the 2011 census.
The European Union also wants first dibs on a vaccine that works. France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have created Europe's inclusive vaccines alliance. They are procuring the vaccine for EU member states.
The group has locked up to 400 million doses of vaccine. The contract has gone to a British drugmaker.
The developing countries may not be able to get a vaccine when they need it the most. The developed world might lock up supplies of the vaccines.
It happened in 2009 as well when the world was fighting the H1N1 vaccine, supplies went to the developed world first because they were able to pay for it and locked up the supplies by signing contracts in advance. It created a shortage in the developing world. As a result, developing countries struggled.