Pfizer asks Biden for his own vaccines | Curious lobby …

The global context of COVID 19 vaccination shows particular scenes across the world, mostly related to the production of a scarce good and the demands of certain suppliers for countries looking to buy. In Argentina, the most emblematic case is that of Pfizer, which has been in negotiations with the country almost since the start of the pandemic, but has yet to release doses of its own making.

In the last few hours, a curious fact has occurred that connects this company: the country’s House of American Businesses (AMCHAM), sent a letter to senior administration officials Joe Biden demanding that the United States prioritize Argentina when surplus vaccines applied in that northern country are released. What is striking is that within this parent entity not only Pfizer coexists, but also Johnson & Johnson, which are two of the three suppliers of applied vaccines in the United States. The third is modern. Ergo, the AMCHAM note ends up requiring Biden to send vaccines manufactured and not marketed by these same firms in Argentina.

“As part of its commitment to the country and its people, the United States Chamber of Commerce in Argentina, AMCHAM, has called on the United States government to consider Argentina a beneficiary country for COVID 19 vaccines. that its president, Joe Biden, announced recently, ”reads the letter, addressed to MaryKay Carsson Business Manager “And other State Department officials.”

The note, as explained at Page I12 sources who worked there, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Argentina and other State Department officials. And this is happening in a context where the Americans have expressed their desire to release between 60 and 80 million doses in the face of a favorable context of internal vaccination and to cross the strategy of other countries which challenge world leadership, such as China and Russia. who helped from the first minute of the pandemic to all developing countries that needed to be vaccinated against COVID.

“Look for the mechanisms that make it possible to speed up the vaccination process for all Argentines. The objective is to succeed in vaccinating the herds and therefore to reduce the risk of contagion and even more the death of thousands of inhabitants of our country ”, continues the letter, which then specifies that these doses could help companies to avoid reactivate and not the economy suffers.

The note bears the signature of Alejandro Díaz, director of AMCHAM, and did not have the consent of all partners in the preparation process. Many, in fact, had no idea what was written. Thus, it received a diverse reception: almost all supported, but some asked precisely why the same companies which ask to draw their doses from those whose United States has surpluses, do not accelerate the contracts with Argentina. To date, the country has negotiations with Pfizer and an agreement with Johnson and Johnson is underway. But vaccination with US doses outside the northern country has been a problem for almost every country.

A few days ago, Pfizer made headlines when it had to go to the complaints hub of PRO manager Patricia Bullrich, refusing an alleged return reimbursement for the provision of vaccines at the local level. At the same time, this public complaint, which did not end up in court and later turned into less precise explanations, resulted in legal complaints from officials and former officials of the national government.

The first was President Alberto Fernández himself, who appointed Gregorio Dalbón as his lawyer, and then there were presentations by former Minister Ginés González García and the National Ministry of Health. All said the attacks on the negotiation were unfounded and focused on political issues.