If you want to end the COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible, you must solve the problem of uneven vaccine distribution. WHO has successively established technology centers in South Africa and South Korea, committed to rebuilding the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and increasing the vaccination rate in low-income countries through technology sharing.
Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
The World Health Organization is creating a global training center to help poorer countries make vaccines, antibodies and cancer treatments using the messenger RNA technology that has successfully been used to make COVID-19 vaccines.
The World Health Organization is creating a global training center to help low-income countries develop vaccines, antibodies and anti-cancer drugs using mRNA technology, which has been successfully used to make COVID-19 vaccines.
At a press briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the new hub will be in South Korea and will share mRNA technology being developed by WHO and partners in South Africa, where scientists are working to recreate the COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna Inc. That effort is taking place without Moderna’s help.
22 at a press conference held in Geneva on February 23, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the new center will be located in South Korea and will share the mRNA technology being developed by WHO and South African partners. Tedros said that South African scientists are working to reproduce the new crown vaccine made by Moderna. This work was done without the help of Moderna.
"Vaccines have helped to change the course of the COVID-19 pandemic but this scientific triumph has been undermined by vast inequality in access to these life-saving tools," Tedros said.
Tedros said.
It's the first time that WHO has supported such unorthodox efforts to reverse-engineer a commercially-sold vaccine, making an end run around the pharmaceutical industry, which has largely prioritized supplying rich countries over poor in both sales and manufacturing.
This is the first time that the World Health Organization supports this informal practice of reverse engineering of commercially sold vaccines, thereby bypassing the pharmaceutical industry on vaccine supply. The pharmaceutical industry mostly prioritizes supply to wealthy countries rather than low-income countries in terms of sales and manufacturing.
Both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, makers of the two authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, have decided to share their vaccine recipe or technical knowledge-how with WHO and its partners.
Both Moderna and Pfizer refuse to share their vaccine formulas or technical secrets with the World Health Organization and its partners.
WHO said the shared technology would hopefully result not only in coronavirus vaccines, but would also be useful in making antibodies, insulin and treatments for diseases including malaria and cancer.
WHO said the shared technology would not only produce COVID-19 vaccines, but also be useful in making antibodies, insulin and drugs for diseases such as malaria and cancer.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that the attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’s chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan estimated that attempt to recreate Moderna’s vaccine would probably not yield any usable shots until late next year or even 2024, but said that timeline could be shortened considerably if the manufacturer agreed to help.
WHO’ But she said that if the manufacturer agrees to help, that time could be significantly shortened.
The global disparity in access to COVID-19 vaccines is enormous. Africa currently produces just 1% of the world’s COVID-19 vaccines and only about 11% of its population is immunized. In contrast, a European nation like Portugal has had 84% of its population fully vaccinated, and over 59% of its people have also had a booster shot.
The global disparity in access to COVID-19 vaccines is enormous. Africa currently produces just 1% of the world’s COVID-19 vaccines and only about 11% of its population is immunized. In contrast, a European nation like Portugal has had 84% of its population fully vaccinated, and over 59% of its people have also had a booster shot.
The global disparity in access to COVID-19 vaccines is enormous. Currently, Africa has only produced 1% of the world's new crown vaccine, and only about 11% of the population has been vaccinated. By comparison, 84% of the population in European countries like Portugal have completed vaccination, and more than 59% have received booster injections.
Last week, WHO said six African countries — Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia — would receive the knowledge and technical knowledge-how to make mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Tedros said Wednesday that five more countries would now receive support from the South Africa hub: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Serbia and Vietnam.
Last week, the WHO said that 6 African countries, including Egypt , Kenya , Nigeria , Senegal , South Africa and Tunisia , these six African countries will obtain knowledge and technical know-how to manufacture mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Tedros said on the 23rd that five more countries will now receive support from the South African center: Bangladesh , Indonesia, Pakistan , Serbia and Vietnam.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, Cape Town company trying to "replicate" Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratories testing.
Earlier earlier
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine say there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed to be slightly easier to manufacture than the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Scientists attempting to make Moderna’s vaccine says there is more information about that shot in the public domain and it’s believed
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be arguably the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying that WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be arguably the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying that WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be arguably the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying that WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be arguably the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying that WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be arguably the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi, research director at the advocacy group Public Citizen, welcomed the news, saying that WHO's efforts will address the huge global demand for mRNA vaccines, which have proven to be the most effective at curbing COVID-19.
Zain Rizvi,
Rizvi said: "WHO is charting an alternative course that is more open and transparent. But it still needs help."
Rizvi said: "WHO is planning an alternative course that is more open and transparent. But it still needs help."
English source: AP
Translation editor: Danni
Source: China Daily Network
