EU suing AZ

[Baileysforchristmas]

Do you think it’s a good idea to sue a non profit vaccine producer in the middle of a pandemic? Especially when it’s in the contract the EU can’t sue for late delivery

www.politico.eu/article/belgium-was-warned-eus-astrazeneca-contract-lacked-teeth-documents/

@Baileysforchristmas & others asking why some of the Danish AZ went to Germany.

I think Denmark decided in its own self interests. The doses have gone to the areas just over the southern border of the Danish Jutland Peninsula. There's a lot of traffic between the two communities either side of the border - they basically shop either side based on what's cheapest in each country etc. Helping that area get vaccinated benefits us.

I'm not by any means saying this is ethically a 'nice' decision, just a country acting in its own self interest. But be annoyed at Denmark rather than the EU on this one - remember that once that stock entered Denmark, the EU had zero say in what was done with it :)

It's totally fair for Denmark to "loan" its doses to neighbours, and their loan strategy is more sensible than Austria who didn't realise declining doses in week 1 meant they couldn't get them in the next batch (even though it was very clear in the contract). It's also fair for Denmark to say they might change their minds depending on case levels and give out AZ. Looking at their cases, they are stable but not extremely low and importantly the falls have stabilised. We have all seen how that curve can twist upwards again. Perhaps the Danish government just want to wait a few weeks to see because there are concerns this lull will not last. With all the furore about there not being enough AZ doses such that AZ is being taken to court, it would be kind if they loaned remaining doses to Ireland, Lithuania, Czechia and other countries that are very keen to jab with AZ right now and could use them. It could easily be done on a rolling basis where Denmark optionally chooses to take back their doses in a month from the next supply. Still, their possession and their choice.

@NewLevelsOfTiredness thank you for explaining, that makes sense.

@MRex

It's totally fair for Denmark to "loan" its doses to neighbours, and their loan strategy is more sensible than Austria who didn't realise declining doses in week 1 meant they couldn't get them in the next batch (even though it was very clear in the contract). It's also fair for Denmark to say they might change their minds depending on case levels and give out AZ. Looking at their cases, they are stable but not extremely low and importantly the falls have stabilised. We have all seen how that curve can twist upwards again. Perhaps the Danish government just want to wait a few weeks to see because there are concerns this lull will not last. With all the furore about there not being enough AZ doses such that AZ is being taken to court, it would be kind if they loaned remaining doses to Ireland, Lithuania, Czechia and other countries that are very keen to jab with AZ right now and could use them. It could easily be done on a rolling basis where Denmark optionally chooses to take back their doses in a month from the next supply. Still, their possession and their choice.

To be honest, I thought they would go to Sweden. The Nordic ties are still strong a there's a lot of cross tourism.

There's one interesting thing in Denmark - the English variant took hold here earlier than the rest of Europe (except the UK) and by mid-February it already accounted for 95% of our cases. I think this massively to our advantage in the end. In many European countries the rise of the third wave seemed link to the UK variant taking hold. But it was already totally dominant in Denmark before we started relaxing restrictions from our second wave. So we've been monitoring the situation based on the UK variant being the primary one, and that's let us take things under control.

We currently have just under 200 in hospital. The projected number based on the restrictions being eased was about 800. That said, they're being very cautious - the opposition are pressing and pressing for a faster reopening but the leading coalition is doing what the scientists are advising. As you say - the numbers are very stable - not falling further but not rising.

We're also seeing what you're seeing the UK. We have very fall numbers of the SA, Brazil, Indian variant, but none seem to be able to eat in to the UK variant's dominance. Which I think is a good thing since the UK one seems to be the 'least worst.'

I think you're right @NewLevelsOfTiredness, and the same is true for Ireland regarding B.1.1.7.

People may have been lulled into a false sense of security because they knew how the old variant behaves and genuinely don't realise what the increase in ineffectiveness means. While it's a bit worse for mortality it doesn't have the antibody and vaccine escape aspect of SA and Brazil where the mutations E484K and K417N seem to be particularly problematic together.

AstraZeneca CEO insists 'We never overpromised' vaccine deliveries to the EU

AstraZeneca’s chief executive Pascal Soriot has been giving a wide-ranging media briefing this morning, which Reuters have been following.

In one key passage he has stated that the drugmaker had not overpromised on its ability to supply Covid-19 vaccines around the world, and he defended big cuts in deliveries that prompted a lawsuit by the European Union.

Pascal Soriot told a media briefing that the company did its best to deliver as much as it could to the EU. “We never overpromised, we communicated what we thought we would achieve at the time,” he said.

Soriot said the company still expected to hit output of 200m doses of the vaccine this month.

The company said it planned to apply for US approval for its vaccine in the coming weeks. That is a delay from late March when the company also said it would submit the data in the coming weeks.

Mene Pangalos, who is executive vice-president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, said “There’s a lot more data than just a phase III study and so we’re working as fast as we can to pull it all together and submit.”

@Baileysforchristmas

AstraZeneca CEO insists 'We never overpromised' vaccine deliveries to the EU

AstraZeneca’s chief executive Pascal Soriot has been giving a wide-ranging media briefing this morning, which Reuters have been following.

In one key passage he has stated that the drugmaker had not overpromised on its ability to supply Covid-19 vaccines around the world, and he defended big cuts in deliveries that prompted a lawsuit by the European Union.

Pascal Soriot told a media briefing that the company did its best to deliver as much as it could to the EU. “We never overpromised, we communicated what we thought we would achieve at the time,” he said.

Soriot said the company still expected to hit output of 200m doses of the vaccine this month.

The company said it planned to apply for US approval for its vaccine in the coming weeks. That is a delay from late March when the company also said it would submit the data in the coming weeks.

Mene Pangalos, who is executive vice-president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, said “There’s a lot more data than just a phase III study and so we’re working as fast as we can to pull it all together and submit.”

Thanks saw something telegraph but behind pay wall.

Hate to link daily mail but thought interesting.
Obviously they spinning its EU hates UK.
But delve into article if facts and sources are correct.
Valneva were but vague on why a deal could not be done.

Reading between the lines and putting UK aside I think the EU commission want some sort of priority or assurance on that the company will keep to amounts and delivery schedule because of whats happened with AZ.
I doubt a French company is actively favouring the UK.
EU wanted 60million valneva.
I imagine as being manufactured in the UK we invested heavily and we doing trials here.
We ordered 100million a long time ago without knowing it would be a success.
If we vaccinated everyone by 31st July I do wonder whats the purpose does Valneva have greater protection over other varients so used a a booster?
Will it be used as for children.
All I know is its different type vaccine

Pfizer/moderna
J&j and AZ

Some in EU do think they should have a diverse portfolio not put all thier eggs in 1 expensive pfizer basket.

But when you also consider exploratory talks were done with eu Valneva and norovax at same time think dec and jan and deals not been done with either.
Leads me to believe maybe the EU want assurances that vaccines producers won't commit to as we know by now with all the vaccine producers so far is making vaccines is tricky seldom goes smoothly.
The EU are sort client who say don't bring me problems bring me solutions.
When things don't go to plan.
They not like UK how can we help.
They not patient they turn very negative and proven not a customer to dissapoint.
So I conclude they demanding maybe sometimes unrealistic and thier demands or criteria for vaccine to meet that is too great for some.
Iike it or not the current legal mess with AZ may put off some companies as ceo if what he says is true is the EU had unrealistic expectations that they never made any guarantees.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9507881/Britain-outwits-EU-secure-100m-vaccine-doses-French-firm.html

Be interesting see if j &j rolled out how many negative health side effects it has in comparison to AZ which many countries paused stopped or age .

@3asAbird - I expect Valneva has decided they want greater certainty over numbers; as you say they will be concerned about being able to meet any contract purchase dates however those are expresses.
By the way, it's noVovax, rather than norovax.

From what I've read, Valneva and Novovax are different vaccine styles than adenovirus and mRNA; they may be more suitable for younger people out for boosters. Valneva is I believe more like old school flu vaccine and could potentially hold multiple variants to give a fantastic booster. Novovax is a subunit vaccine using nanoparticles in a very clever way; importantly it uses different equipment so won't face the same raw material shortages as the other vaccines that are competing against each other. As it works in a totally different way, it may be more suitable for a different range of people and immunity has a chance of being longer-lasting than other vaccine types.

Wow brilliant info there MRex. Thank you,

Speculation rumbling that EU will demand reparation from AZ in the form of monetary compensation for the difference in price between AZ and Pfizer, as they were "forced" to buy more Pfizer (at the increased cost), due to non-delivery of AZ.

Let's just think about that for a moment. They screwed the price down on an "at cost" AZ product, produced and available for the entire planet, for which they didn't subsidise nor assist in production. They did subsidise PZ, which is already sold for profit, and who's price will increase, paid the market price and now want AZ to subsidise the difference.... you couldn't make it up.

I think the EU are panicking, or have panicked and are looking to deflect the blame from them to AZ.
I think they are particularly angry about the UK's vaccine success.

@yellowspanner

I think the EU are panicking, or have panicked and are looking to deflect the blame from them to AZ. I think they are particularly angry about the UK's vaccine success.

At worse some in the commission might perhaps be attempting to detract from previous action or inaction but "panicking" - no.

FWIW there's still see coverage (complimentary) of the UK vaccine programme to be found on broadcast, on-line or print media over here, so the idea that people (certainly in general) are somehow angry at the NHS's success is a figment of the imagination.

And we're now doing OK with our rollout -- thanks for asking..

For example on one day last week there 500,000 doses administered...we'll get there.

This is an interesting read

www.politico.com/news/2021/04/27/novavax-coronavirus-vaccine-484731

I think they are particularly angry about the UK's vaccine success

That really isn’t the case from the viewpoint of the European population.

Oh and this on France throwing away AZ vaccines, which will get worse once deliveries from Pfizer start arriving

www.politico.eu/article/france-coronavirus-vaccine-glut/

I think its naive to think that the EU politicians and certain member states politicians are not annoyed at the success of the UK vaccine campaign.

It is a very positive advert for Brexit and the UK was to be punished for Brexit.

Individuals - probably not.

France having hundreds of thousands of unclaimed vaccine spots doesn’t fit the UK narrative of Europeans being ‘angry’ at the success of the UK’s AZ vaccine rollout though...,,

@pinkmagnolias

France having hundreds of thousands of unclaimed vaccine spots doesn’t fit the UK narrative of Europeans being ‘angry’ at the success of the UK’s AZ vaccine rollout though...,,

That fits the narrative of issues with the vaccine rollout which will hopefully be resolved soon.

Yes of course...what would thise with boots on the ground know...

All these people not willing to be vaccinated here explains why hundreds if not thousands of people are now crossing departmental/regional boundaries to get to the large vaccination centres because it's hard to get slots at the Docs/pharmacies....

Meanwhile:

covidtracker.fr/vaccintracker/

Yes of course...what would thise with boots on the ground know...

I am not in the UK...

@loginfail are most people in France happy to have AZ vaccine?

The doses have gone to the areas just over the southern border of the Danish Jutland Peninsula. There's a lot of traffic between the two communities either side of the border

Isn't this Schleswig-Holstein, which was Danish not all that long ago?

www.politico.eu/article/eu-takes-astrazeneca-to-court-for-vaccine-doses-and-revenge/

Sorry if this has already been covered, but it popped up in my newsfeed yesterday. The EU filed a second lawsuit against AZ this week.

www.thehindu.com/news/international/eu-suing-astrazeneca-to-get-90-million-vaccine-doses-before-july/article34537346.ece

It occurs to me that now that the U.K. is moving away from giving AZ to under 40s it would make sense for the U.K. AZ factory to start directing some of their capacity to Europe? Seems only fair given the Pfizer and Moderna we’re using is coming from Europe and once second doses are done we’ll have no use for the remaining 40-50 million doses in our contract.