UNICEF said it is improving transparency around vaccine supply by making vaccine prices available on its website. As the largest buyer of children’s vaccines, UNICEF noted that the action is in line with its “commitment to ensure that vaccine supply is sustainable and affordable.” Information on market dynamics that influence vaccine uptake “will be more publicly available, starting with prices at which companies sell vaccines to UNICEF.” Shanelle Hall, Director of Supply Division, UNICEF, said, “Transparency is a core principle in itself and will support governments and partners in making more informed decisions. Transparency will also help foster a competitive, diverse supplier base for global public goods.”
UNICEF said it “undertook a consultation with all suppliers to ensure understanding and acceptance of the new policy prior to publishing vaccine prices online. All recent and future tenders include a clause that enables UNICEF to make awarded vaccine prices publicly available, in addition to pricing and contracting information already in the public domain on UNICEF’s website.” The procurement of vaccines is UNICEF’s largest procurement activity, worth US$757 million in 2010. Last year, UNICEF provided 2.5 billion doses of vaccines to 99 countries, reaching an estimated 58 per cent of the world’s children.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_58692.html
UNICEF Vaccine Price Data [full text]
UNICEF has a significant role within vaccine procurement for children. In recognition of this and in an attempt to be fully transparent UNICEF is now publishing a retrospective of vaccine prices.
This overview has been prepared following consultations with vaccine suppliers to UNICEF on making pricing information more transparent. A few suppliers are at this stage not able to share their price information but we hope to add this information in the future.
The vaccine prices received by UNICEF from industry are based on the UNICEF mandate, UNICEF aggregated quantities, commercial terms, reliability of forecasts, timelines of payment, and long standing relationship with industry.
Awarded Prices
The below links provide an overview of prices contracted with suppliers by UNICEF per vaccine.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 