With tens of millions of doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the AstraZeneca laboratory shut down in American factories, pending the results of a clinical study in the country, the United States is studying the sending injections to Brazil or other countries, according to the New York Times.
The fate of the vaccines is the subject of intense debate between the White House and the country’s health officials, with some saying Biden’s leadership should allow them to be exported to countries in urgent need of them, while others are not ready to abandon them, according to Democratic administration officials interviewed by the newspaper.
The lab, however, is not involved in these conversations.
Some officials have insisted that the White House make a decision in the coming weeks. They are discussing sending doses to Brazil, which is experiencing its worst time of the pandemic, or even to the European Union or the United Kingdom.
About 30 million doses are bottled at an AstraZeneca unit in West Chester, Ohio, which is responsible for the final stage of vaccine production, in which the immunizer is packaged, said an employee with knowledge of the stock in New York. Times.
In Baltimore, Md., Another company that makes the vaccine has already produced enough for tens of millions of additional doses.
Although its use is authorized in more than 70 countries, according to the laboratory, in the United States, however, the clinical study has not yet published its results and the company has not applied for authorization for an application for emergency to the FDA, the country’s regulatory agency. .
AstraZeneca even asked Biden’s management to loan the doses destined for the United States to the European Union, where the lab has been unable to honor its delivery commitment.
“We understand that other governments may have contacted the US government regarding the donation of doses of AstraZeneca and we ask the US government to carefully consider these requests,” said AstraZeneca spokesman Gonzalo Viña, at NYT.
“If these donations occur, we will seek advice from the US government to replace these doses in the United States,” he added.
The White House did not respond to the New York Times request for comment.