Australia is at risk of relying on Pfizer and Moderna for the COVID vaccine.3 ways to release

The rapid development and deployment of the COVID vaccine is one of the pandemic’s greatest achievements.

But australia Risk to depend on COVID vaccines from two major companies, Pfizer and Moderna, are a problem.

The need for COVID vaccines will not disappear soon, but markets need to be formed to promote competition for better access to improved vaccines.

Especially if many of us are likely to do so, what is needed for Australia to break away from the effective duopoly that dominates the local market: Need a booster..

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How did we get here?

When COVID finally broke out in Australia late last year, vaccines (and high levels of adult vaccination) were very effective in reducing mortality and serious illness.

From January 1st of this year is more than 5.9 million people have been confirmed to be infected with COVID nationwide, but about 5,300 have died.

However, current vaccines are not 100% effective in protecting against infection. New virus variant (And subvariants) Continue to appear; protected by vaccination When Previous infection diminishes Very quickly, reinfection becomes more common, which means that booster shots may remain part of the landscape for some time to come.

in the meantime, Vaccine injustice There are still unresolved issues. This has led to situations where rich countries such as Australia are giving booster shots. Poor country I don’t even have enough vaccine for the first dose.

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Pfizer and Moderna, but not much else

of Recent articles The Medical Journal of Australia outlines the need to break away from the few powerful players who still dominate the Australian COVID vaccine market.

The number of Approved COVID vaccine Growing Around the world, Australia still relies heavily on only two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna.

AstraZeneca and Nuvaxovid vaccines are rare Used as a booster If There is no other vaccine It is suitable.

is more than 95% of Australian adults I have already been vaccinated twice with the COVID vaccine. Therefore, future requirements are primarily boost immunization and vaccines for children. Therefore, Australia continues to face effective duopoly.

The power of patents

This effective duopoly further strengthens the considerable power that these manufacturers already possess through their intellectual property rights to vaccines.

These vaccine patents are agreements (or or) on the trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights. TRIPS). This prevents international competitors from duplicating the patented technology.

These patents allow businesses to make higher profits (or “economic rents”) than if their technology were freely available to enable open competition.

The intellectual property aspects of the COVID vaccine are controversial.

Pfizer and Moderna continue To make a special profit From the COVID vaccine.

Still, Moderna found himself In dispute Admits to the U.S. government U.S. government official We have directly developed some of the key technologies for the Moderna vaccine (not to mention years of publicly funded basic research).

Modern too Resisted sharing Vaccine prescriptions to enable major middle-income countries to produce vaccines.

Meanwhile, Pfizer negotiated advantageous When secret Vaccines contract with government to transfer responsibility and risk to government and control the ability of countries to redistribute inventories among countries.

High-income countries Consistently resisted Or watering Ask for TRIPS exemptionWould have enabled global sharing of manufacturing technology.

Critics insist Opponents of the TRIPS exemption are very concerned about avoiding setting a precedent that could limit the interests of Big Pharma in the future.

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What should Australia do next?

In Australia, the reality that current COVID vaccines can only partially prevent infections will lead to reliance on this effective duopoly for ongoing booster immunity. The booster is also Many professions..

Australia can escape from this captive vaccine market in three steps.

1. Approve more vaccines

Australia needs to expand its supply of new COVID vaccines by actively helping a wide range of manufacturers bring their products to the Therapeutic Goods Department for approval. This will intensify competition for booster immunity and facilitate the development and supply of more effective “bactericidal” vaccines (vaccines that prevent viral infections).

Australia, on the other hand, must draw maximum value from all existing vaccine contracts and claim complete freedom to transfer supplies to neighboring countries in the region.

2. Promote patent reform

Australia needs to take advantage of its influence to actively promote TRIPS exemptions at the World Trade Organization. You also need to consider strategic options with partner coalitions to quickly reform your current global intellectual property system, or to avoid it if necessary.

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3. Set up domestic non-profit features

Australia needs to establish an economic “mission” to establish the research, development and manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities of publicly owned non-profit vaccines and essential medicines in Australia. It addresses the needs of COVID and beyond, both domestically and broadly.

Sadly, the company was founded by a recent agreement between the Australian Government and Moderna. MRNA production here teeth no Such an example. There may be a risk of establishing an existing force.Agreement Still a secret..

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In an increasingly volatile world of ecosystem and health crises, supply chain disruptions, and heightened military tensions, Australia offers safe and resilient vaccine and drug manufacturing capabilities to its neighbors with Australians. You can protect the health of each country.

But older models that empower shareholders through excess profits and intellectual property protection do not realize this new vision.

CitaradonaDeakin University Associate Researcher, co-authored the work mentioned in this article.