Turkey could receive up to 4.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer by the end of March, the number could reach 30 million by the end of 2021, BioNTech co-founder and CEO said on Saturday. , Uğur Șahin.
Shahin’s remark came a day after Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced late Friday that Turkey had reached an agreement with BioNTech to procure 550,000 doses for the initial shipment, with the option to buy up to 30 million doses.
Announcing the agreement on Twitter, Koca said the reason for the delay in the agreement was due to liability issues.
“The reason for the delay was that the producer did not accept any responsibility for potential problems that could arise from production,” he said, adding that the disagreement was subsequently resolved.
“Citizens who would like to receive a dose will receive informed consent,” Koca said.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Shahin said he was happy to sign an agreement that would allow him to help his homeland. Shahin was born in the southeastern Turkish province of Iskenderun in 1965 before moving to Germany at the age of four.
Explaining the details of the agreement, Shahin said that the logistics of the agreement and the training of health workers who will perform the vaccinations are the priority for the first part of the administration of the vaccine, 550,000 doses.
The BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine must be transported and stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, the type of temperature typical of an Antarctic winter. Combined with orders reaching millions of doses, the vaccine poses unprecedented logistical problems for many countries.
“This amount will reach Turkey by the end of the year. First, we need to prepare for logistics. What are the potential side effects of the vaccine, the allergic reaction, for example, what to do when this happens, all this information must be shared correctly. We need health workers to be trained, we want vaccinations to be done safely, ”he said.
“We hope to send 30 million doses by the end of 2021. We plan to send 4.5 million doses by the end of March, because these vaccines are needed worldwide. We want to deliver these doses fairly. We hope that, by the end of next year, we will be able to deliver the 30 million doses we have agreed on “, Șahin told an AA reporter.
Speaking of possible additional agreements exceeding the 30 million dose agreement, Shahin said it would depend on availability.
“We want to produce around 1 billion doses in collaboration with Pfizer next year. We need to deliver these vaccines to 80 countries. As long as we have the doses, we would be more than willing to offer Turkey more, “he said.
However, he warned that the production of vaccines was a complex process and that the real goal of reaching 1.3 billion doses could require cooperation with other companies.
“We will start working with other companies again. If we can make our plans on how to increase capacity, we can reveal it in January or February. I think we can increase it. We don’t have a guaranteed plan yet. “
Liability and side effects
Regarding the liability issues that delayed the conclusion of the agreement earlier, Shahin thanked Koca for the help the minister offered during the negotiations, as he explained that the disagreement referred to the company’s desire to limit liability in the event of a lawsuit. cause of side effects.
“We make offers with the same terms for all countries. Europe, the USA, Japan, all had the same standards. The limited liability is to determine how much our company can afford, ”he said, adding that the lawsuits were usually in exorbitant amounts that could bankrupt a company.
“When you do something, people can sue you for it. You know as well, they can claim “this or that”. When this happens, we are left helpless because there may be bills that require billions. It makes our lives harder. I made a safe vaccine for people. But that doesn’t mean we’re safe from lawsuits. That is why we need certain limits to protect the company “, Șahin explained.
According to Shahin, about 1.5 million people have already been inoculated with the mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine found by his company and no severe side effects have been reported yet.
The most common side effects of the vaccine are headache, fatigue, pain in the arm that received the vaccine and fever in rare cases. Shahin said all side effects usually go away in two days.
However, the most severe side effect is an allergic reaction, which occurs within 30 minutes of inoculation and at a rate of 1 in 50,000 people.
“An allergic reaction can occur within 30 minutes of receiving the shot. Therefore, medical personnel must be nearby for 30 minutes. This could be the only significant side effect, “said Shahin.
Caution is another necessity
As countries around the world prepare for the monumental task of vaccinating their population, with some nations already underway, hopes have blossomed that life will soon return to normal after a long year in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.
But Shahin warns that precautions must remain longer – at least until vaccination rates reach 70 percent among the population.
Our vaccines will not be able to reduce infections in the winter. People must continue to act with discipline, to continue to protect themselves and others. Vaccines will first go to the elderly and medical staff. We can protect them, “he said.
Recalling that Turkey has also signed an agreement with the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac for 50 million doses, Shahin said that reaching a threshold in the number of people vaccinated is the key before returning to normal.
“We need to vaccinate 70% of people. If we succeed in this before next winter comes, then we can return to a normal life. It is vital to remain disciplined, “he said.
Regarding Turkey’s agreement with Sinovac, Shahin said it was a good move by Turkey to ensure sufficient doses to reach the 70% threshold.
“China’s vaccine is showing its effect. I think it’s about 85% or 86% effective. It can be considered a good and effective vaccine. There should be no concern if a vaccine comes from BioNTech, China or any other government. Chinese scientists have developed this vaccine after a long trial and clinical trial. It is important for Turkey to produce the required number of doses, “Shahin said.
While Shahin cited an 85% efficacy rate for the Sinovac vaccine, Turkey said it was 91.25% effective on Thursday, according to interim data from a late-stage study involving 7,371 volunteers.
With an initial delivery of 3 million doses of Sinovac vaccine arriving in Turkey on Monday, nearly 9 million people will be vaccinated in the first stage, starting with health workers and people at risk.
According to Dr. Serhat Ünal, an infectious disease expert on the Scientific Advisory Board of Coronavirus in Turkey, no major side effects were detected during vaccination studies in Turkey, unless an allergic reaction was observed. .
Sinovac has also entered into supply agreements for its vaccine with countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and negotiations with the Philippines and Malaysia are ongoing.
Branch in Turkey
In addition to BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine, Shahin said the company is involved in other areas of research and said the company is in talks to open a branch in Turkey.
“We are bringing our products to Turkey for the first time. We also want to conduct research in Turkey. We are in talks with the Turkish Council for Scientific and Technological Research (TÜBITAK). We are also in contact with several professors from different universities. We want to set up a BioNTech branch in Turkey, ”he said.
“We want to conduct cancer research in Turkey, in addition to our work on vaccines for infectious diseases. We hope to start conducting cancer clinical trials in Turkey by next summer. We have plans. We want to make them. “
Shahin said the company’s long-term goal was to open several offices throughout Turkey and conduct research and development studies. But life must return to normal first, he warned.
“We want to work with Turkish universities and companies. In the first year, we might do three projects and take them from there if we succeed. “
Shahin once again urged people not to give up precautions.
“We must avoid endangering others or our loved ones. Help is on the way. He’ll be here until the summer. We have to be patient. We hope that we will have the chance to return to our normal life by the end of next summer. Then we will celebrate success together. “