Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer pledged on Wednesday to sell some of its drugs and vaccines at cost to 45 poor countries, as part of an initiative announced at the Davos Economic Forum.
So far, five countries (Senegal, Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda) have joined this agreement, which focuses on five therapeutic areas: infectious diseases, oncology, rare diseases, inflammatory diseases, and women’s health. .
1.2 billion people affected
“This commitment will increase access to Pfizer’s patented medicines and vaccines available in the United States and European Union for nearly 1.2 billion people,” said Angela Hwang, chief executive at Pfizer.
A total of 23 of the company’s vaccines and drugs are patented in the relevant fields. This includes, for example, several cancer treatments, but also the antiviral Paxlovid, and its vaccine against Covid-19.
If a better price has been negotiated elsewhere as part of equity efforts in the fight against the pandemic, this is the one that will apply, Pfizer said. Furthermore, if other drugs are developed in the future in these areas, they will automatically be included in the agreement.
Selling at cost means that only manufacturing costs and transport expenses will be charged in the countries concerned.
45 poor countries and 18 intermediate countries
The agreement is intended to eventually apply to all low-income countries, and to 18 low- to middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank.
Pfizer must also work with the five countries that have already signed up to identify the necessary changes, particularly in terms of procedures, infrastructure and the training of healthcare personnel, so that these treatments actually reach patients.
Infectious diseases kill nearly a million people every year in these poor countries, according to the company.
Pfizer’s announcement “will facilitate access to some of its essential treatments, and hopefully allow better control of targeted diseases”, commented Amesh Adalja, specialist in infectious diseases.