AZ - EU contract published

[Davros]

Breaking news on BBC

Anyone know what the EU Commission said in the press conference?

@easterisland so there blaming the uk ? Wow

Seems like the UK is going to have to bail Europe out (again) and let them have their vaccines

Too many people here setting this as a U.K. vs EU thing and hyperbole about ‘stealing our vaccine’ ‘abusive relationship with the U.K.’ ‘glad we’ve left the EU’ and other nonsense

I'll bet a tenner you're Irish

If Pfizer is prevented from fulfilling its contracts because the EU won’t allow expert, then expect the US to get involved, and quickly.

When I was going back to Dublin (where my dad is from and my parents live), the irish border control guy took my (British) passport and said "I would be embarrassed to travel on that if I were you".

That's so unnecessary.

This thread makes for depressing reading. I suspect no one is going to come out of this very well when the jingoistic tabloid media are covering it, and its not going to be the last hideous squabble over vaccine resources.

It will be nationalism at its worst across the world. Developed countries should be acting as one to inoculate those most of risk and ensure massive development and overproduction to ensure this covers rapid distribution to developing nations.

This virus didnt recognise borders or nationalities, its target is human and our response has to be......humanitarian.

AZ CEO giving press conference on Sky News now. Someone from Oxford expected to join soon.

Wherrsmaclickypen

well said.

I also don’t think it’s full on export controls - it’s export reporting, in that companies must let the EU know if they are exporting vaccine.

@Wherrsmaclickypen

This thread makes for depressing reading. I suspect no one is going to come out of this very well when the jingoistic tabloid media are covering it, and its not going to be the last hideous squabble over vaccine resources.

It will be nationalism at its worst across the world. Developed countries should be acting as one to inoculate those most of risk and ensure massive development and overproduction to ensure this covers rapid distribution to developing nations.

This virus didnt recognise borders or nationalities, its target is human and our response has to be......humanitarian.

You must be horrified by the EU decision to stop vaccine exports then.

It depends on ... how much we rely on materials from the eu to keep our vaccine plants going

That's what's worried me from the start of this row ... not so much the "4 million doses" which won't go that far anyway, but whether they have the potential ability to trash other UK production

on the basis of this contract the EU may have a case if output from EU-based factories has been sent to the UK and this has significantly impacted AZ's ability to supply the EU, but note that I say "may", not "does"

Even as a layperson I get this, @prh47bridge, but again what worries me is that it might not just be about what the UK may already have received. If it comes to it I suspect the EU will want more than that

It will be nationalism at its worst across the world. Developed countries should be acting as one to inoculate those most of risk and ensure massive development and overproduction to ensure this covers rapid distribution to developing nations.

That's a logistical nightmare though. Plus vaccination immunity relies on the majority of the population incl the healthy getting it as vaccines aren't 100%

I also don’t think it’s full on export controls - it’s export reporting, in that companies must let the EU know if they are exporting vaccine

I expect it could amount to the same thing though - all they have to do is claim a piece of paperwork's missing and job done (while conveniently claiming it wasn't their doing, but that of whoever lost the paperwork)

Here is this afternoon’s EU press conference on the restrictions on exports of the vaccine.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=KWsRwLRGX2c

Puzzled I think it’s more so they can shout about “export controls” whilst not actually doing anything - Pfizer and Moderna are not going to invest in EU capacity when they can’t sell the product around the world.

[quote FitzsimmonsMarvel]@IcedPurple the delivery was due to be ready for the EU in Q1 and the approval has gone through today. The doses were pre-paid for. They were not subject to approval already being granted before their production if you look at the contract. The doses take time to create (obviously given they now can’t meet the order) so yes they should have kept them for use in EU as part of fulfilling their obligation to the EU.

Did you think they were making the million doses in one day before delivery? Clearly they produce them and stockpile them for delivery date.[/quote]
Actually AZ's obligation is to use "best reasonable efforts" to deliver to the EU in Q1. And "best reasonable efforts" is:

"the activities and degree of effort that a company of similar size with a similarly-sized infrastructure and similar resources as AstraZeneca would undertake or use in the development and manufacture of a Vaccine at the relevant stage of development or commercialization having regard to the urgent need for a Vaccine to end a global pandemic".

Stockpiling a vaccine that could be used elsewhere while the EU dawdles through regulatory approval is not having regard to the urgent need for a Vaccine to end a global pandemic.

See also clause 8.1(a):

"AstraZeneca shall notify the Alliance Manager and Representative of each Participating Member State in good time prior to such time that AstraZeneca expects Doses to be available."

It clearly anticipates a ramping up time following regulatory approval, otherwise it would just be an obligation to start delivering as soon as approval is received ("AZ will deliver with 10 days of regulatory approval" or similar).

I strongly suspect this is about money.
AZ realised they had a valuable commodity and decided they weren't charging enough for it.
Hence call a shortage and then charge for accelerated supply. It's the oldest trick in the book. Especially if it turned out that an extra dose could be got from the vials.
Who knows. This EU robbing the UK is likely a smokescreen to distract everyone from the real fire burning somewhere else.

It depends on ... how much we rely on materials from the eu to keep our vaccine plants going

Equally EU vaccine plants rely on supplies from outside the EU. Full export bans will help no one.

sadie they can’t charge more, the terms of their licence with Oxford University stipulate at cost sales only.

@sadie9

I strongly suspect this is about money. AZ realised they had a valuable commodity and decided they weren't charging enough for it. Hence call a shortage and then charge for accelerated supply. It's the oldest trick in the book. Especially if it turned out that an extra dose could be got from the vials. Who knows. This EU robbing the UK is likely a smokescreen to distract everyone from the real fire burning somewhere else.

I really really don’t think this is the case at all

So AstraZeneca have been telling porkies.

Good link from Reuters.

www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-europe-astrazneca/astrazeneca-contract-at-heart-of-row-includes-uk-as-best-effort-base-for-output-to-eu-idUSKBN29Y1ED

I don't feel the EU is blaming the UK. I feel the EU wants to know why AZ isn't meeting their obligations. Should AZ being sending supplies from plants in UK whilst still honouring UK contracts? Are these based on differences in contract terms interpretations?

Listening to Skynews, AZ CEO would not answer questions about best efforts and the use of plants in the UK.

IcedPurple Export control sounds very desperate for sure.

I asked earlier, but dont think anyone has answered, the UK government stated it had secured 357 million vaccines by last November and is still buying more according to todays press (modena for one). Now this may be flim flam and these are merely options, or intentions at best, but I would be relieved to know that the UK have not pressured pharma into selling or reserving far more vaccines than the UK needs: I would like to be reassured of that before I felt anyone could be judgemental at any other actions in this sorry state of affairs.

Given the government's current defensive actions on litigation around PPE contract corruption and the gross wastage of taxpayers money involved I would be delighted but amazed if their pharma dealings were more considered, appropriate and moral.

So AstraZeneca have been telling porkies.

What do you mean?