GAVI issued a statement on its strategy for 2011-2015 which “includes an explicit goal to shape vaccine markets,” noting that with its procurement partners it will achieve this goal “through efficient procurement of quality vaccines while ensuring sustainable supply at affordable prices to GAVI countries.” GAVI-funded vaccines “now account for nearly half of the total value of UNICEF’s vaccine procurement, where UNICEF itself represents about 40% of the global volume of vaccine doses. These large volumes have helped promote the entry of vaccine manufacturers, particularly from emerging economies. Over the period 2000-2009, GAVI increased its supply base from eight manufacturers to 18 manufacturers in 2009, including 8 based in emerging markets.”
GAVI said that to move towards “a more active market management approach,” it is in the process of revising its supply and procurement strategy which will be reviewed by the GAVI Programme and Policy Committee in May 2011 and the GAVI Alliance Board in July 2011. GAVI also said it “recognizes the importance of timely, transparent and accurate information sharing on expected vaccine demand and supply dynamics. It therefore welcomes vaccine suppliers’ agreement to make pricing information more transparent. UNICEF publishes the vaccine prices paid to individual manufacturers. A few suppliers have not agreed at this stage to share their price information, but UNICEF hopes to add this information in the future.”
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 