US pharmaceutical company Pfizer has confirmed that it will temporarily reduce deliveries to Europe of its COVID-19 vaccine while improving production capacity to 2 billion doses of vaccine per year.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – US pharmaceutical company Pfizer confirmed on Friday that it will temporarily reduce deliveries of its COVID-19 vaccine to Europe while improving production capacity to 2 billion doses per year.
The head of the EU Commission said she immediately called the CEO of Pfizer. But, in an indication, the problem could go beyond Europe, the Canadian government said it was also affected.
Line Fedders, a spokesman for Pfizer Denmark, said that in order to reach the new target of 2 billion doses, Pfizer is increasing production at its plant in Puurs, Belgium, which “involves adapting factory facilities and processes, which require new testing.” quality and approvals from the authorities. “
“As a result, fewer doses will be available for European countries in late January and early February,” she said.
“This temporary reduction will affect all European countries,” she told the Associated Press.
The German Ministry of Health said on Friday that Pfizer had informed the European Commission, which was responsible for ordering vaccines from the company, that it would not be able to fulfill all the promised deliveries in the next three to four weeks.
The ministry said German officials had taken note of the Commission’s unexpected announcement “with regret” as the company made mandatory delivery commitments by mid-February.
“The federal and state governments expect the EU Commission to provide clarity and certainty as soon as possible in negotiations with Pfizer on deliveries and subsequent delivery dates,” the statement said.
The Commission has sealed the vaccination agreements on behalf of all 27 Member States, but is not responsible for timing and deliveries.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said he “immediately called the CEO of Pfizer”.
“He assured me that all guaranteed doses in the first trimester will be delivered in the first trimester. He personally takes care of reducing the delay and making sure they catch up as soon as possible, ”said von der Leyen.
Earlier on Friday, the Commission’s health policy spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker said deliveries were made on the basis of purchase orders and specific contracts between Member States and companies.
“The specifics of these arrangements are set out in these purchase orders or contracts,” he said.
The Commission has provided up to 600 million additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine produced in partnership with BioNTech in Germany.
Belgian plant Pfizer supplies all photos shipped outside the United States, including Canada, where procurement minister Anita Anand said Friday that the US drugmaker is temporarily reducing deliveries due to problems with its European production lines. While the company said it is capable of delivering another four million doses by the end of March, this is no longer guaranteed, she said.
Canadian officials say the reduction means that vaccine deliveries in Canada will be halved next month.
The country has so far received only 380,000 doses of vaccine and was due to receive another 400,000 this month and is expecting almost two million doses in February.
The Norwegian authorities also said on Friday that they had been notified by Pfizer of the reduction, which will start next week, as the company raises its annual dose target from the current 1.3 billion.
“We predicted 43,875 doses of vaccine from Pfizer in week 3. We now appear to be receiving 36,075 doses,” said Geir Bukholm, director of infection control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
“The stock we have now will be able to offset a reduction in deliveries planned for a few weeks in advance if needed,” he said.
In Finland, the YLE broadcaster said the delay would cause domestic delivery problems in late January and early February.
Danish officials have expressed concern.
Henrik Ullum, head of the Statens Serum Institut, a government agency that maps the spread of coronavirus in Denmark, said he expected the development to mean that “in the near future we will be able to vaccinate less than previously thought.”
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Samuel Petrequin and Raf Casert in Brussels, Frank Jordans in Berlin and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed.