Dear Moderator,
I wish to underline that GAVI's push for more funds for vaccines has been questioned by the MSF. I think GAVI needs to respond to MSF and clarify their stand so that everyone knows why is something being done and at what cost. Also we wish to know what is GAVI doing for transfer of technology to third world countries to bring prices of vaccines to lowest possible level and cut profits of big pharma e.g. in case of intradermal use of many vaccines, not only costs can be upto five times less but we would spare the vaccines as well to immunize more children.
MSF says....
Emerging country suppliers like India’s Serum Institute have said they could sell similar pneumococcal vaccine products for US$2 (£1.25) a dose – a 40 percent reduction on the GSK and Pfizer price The executive director of Serum Institute, Dr Suresh Jadhav, said recently that if his company had not faced patent restrictions, the vaccine could have been available by next year – now it is not expected until 2015. Technology transfer and product development grants to low-cost suppliers are being supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but these sums are dwarfed by the Advance Market Commitment subsidy to Big Pharma....for details the link is as follows;
http://www.msfaccess.org/main/vaccines/gavi-money-welcome-but-could-it-be-more-wisely-spent/
http://www.msfaccess.org/main/vaccines/gavi-money-welcome-but-could-it-be-more-wisely-spent/
Thanks and regards,
Dr. Omesh K Bharti, India