MSF: Global Vaccines Community Must Bring Price of New Vaccines Down
Media Release
23 April 2013

Excerpt
MSF referenced the Global Vaccines Summit in calling on GAVI and pharmaceutical companies to extend discounts on critical vaccines “so more children can be reached” and warned that “high prices for new vaccines could put developing countries in the precarious situation of not being able to afford to fully vaccinate their children in the future.”
… MSF said it is also “troubled by the fact that non-governmental organizations and humanitarian actors are excluded from accessing the GAVI-negotiated price discounts. MSF is often in a position to vaccinate vulnerable groups, such as refugee children, HIV-positive children and older unvaccinated children who fall outside of the typical age range for standard vaccination programs. However, MSF has not been able to systematically access vaccines at the GAVI discounted price… “We’re asking GAVI to open up their discounted vaccine pricing to humanitarian actors that are often best placed to respond to vaccinating people in crisis…”
Full release: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/press/release.cfm?id=6734&cat=press-release

GAVI responds to MSF campaign
Statement
23 April 2013

Excerpt
– First, we agree with MSF – we do all want the same things. We want all children everywhere to be protected by immunisation. In fact, GAVI is proud to include MSF as a member of the GAVI Alliance. They are an active member of the steering committee of the GAVI Board’s Civil Society Organisation Constituency…

– MSF first formally raised the issue of access to the same prices GAVI pays for vaccines at the GAVI Board meeting in December 2012. This issue is currently being discussed through the Alliance’s Governance channels. We find it disappointing that MSF, which knows and is engaged in the GAVI Governance process, has chosen to take on this issue as a public campaign.

– GAVI works with governments to protect children by providing quality life-saving vaccines at affordable prices to all children in the 73 poorest countries in the world. 65% of the children born today are born in GAVI–supported countries. Non-government organisations, including MSF, play a critical role in the distribution of vaccines in the immunisation programmes of these countries. This work is coordinated in each country by the Ministry of Health, and the large majority of vaccines are funded by GAVI and countries…

– …GAVI has been working hard to bring down the price of these key vaccines. In fact, just last week we announced a 30% reduction in the price of the key Pentavalent vaccine that protects children against five killer diseases.

– Obtaining such low price agreements with vaccines’ manufacturers for the world’s poorest countries is only possible when there are stable forecasts, long-term commitments to large volumes with secure financing agreements from donors and recipient governments working together. Any adjustment to the current way of working will require careful consideration and the support of key constituencies. It is by working together that we can best serve the needs of children and support the long-term development of the countries in which they are born.
Full statement: http://www.gavialliance.org/library/news/statements/2013/gavi-msf/#sthash.QfuDhWR5.dpuf