MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2020) Doctors Without Borders (MSF), an international medical humanitarian organization, has called on governments around the world to make public their deals with pharmaceutical companies on vaccines against the coronavirus disease, Kate Elder, the senior vaccines policy advisor for MSF's Access Campaign, said in an interview with Sputnik.
According to the MSF official, the organization has called for transparency regarding all COVID-19 vaccine licensing as well as clinical trial costs and data, considering that vaccine development has been funded by taxpayers' money.
"Governments should publish bilateral agreements with pharmaceutical companies for COVID-19 vaccines, particularly since these deals are made using public funds," Elder said.
The adviser also called for including liabilities and indemnification into vaccine purchasing agreements.
"Liability and indemnification in the event of severe adverse effects following immunization need to be discussed and clarified so that the respective responsibilities of the purchaser and manufacturer are spelled out in the purchase agreement," she said.
Elder insisted that all relevant quality, safety and efficacy data without any omission should be made available to the regulators, the World Health Organization and the public.
"Omitting to submit relevant quality, safety and efficacy data may result in incomplete assessments therefore putting patients' lives at risk ... applicants should consider making all relevant clinical data available to the public," the adviser suggested.
MSF's Access Campaign is advocating for development and access to affordable medicines across the globe.
