Vaccination

Health 19-01-2024

In France, low rate of HPV vaccination raises concerns among health experts

Est. 5min

Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) in France remains one of the lowest in the European Union, prompting health professionals to warn of a risk to public health and the importance of vaccinating boys too.

Health 06-06-2023

EU health agencies recommend vaccines targeting Omicron subgroup for autumn

Est. 4min

On Tuesday (6 June), EU health agencies recommended updating COVID-19 vaccines to target XBB strains, a subgroup of Omicron, with hopes to advance protection from infection and mild-symptomatic disease. 

Coronavirus 30-03-2023

Pfizer France head: COVID vaccine contract talks remain a ‘business secret’

Est. 3min

The negotiations that led to the European Commission brokering the controversial COVID-19 vaccine contracts with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer remain "a business secret", the chairman of Pfizer France told French Senators during a hearing on Wednesday (29 March).

Health 15-03-2023

Bulgaria leads group opposing Pfizer COVID vaccine supply conditions

Est. 3min

Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary have demanded that the European Commission renegotiate the conditions for the supply of COVID vaccines manufactured by Pfizer. The health ministers of the four countries tabled a joint request during an EU Council meeting on 14 March.

Coronavirus 14-02-2023

New York Times takes EU Commission to court over ‘Pfizergate’ affair

Est. 3min

The New York Times is suing the European Commission for failing to make public the text messages exchanged between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health 22-11-2022

EU-US to address pharma standards, China medtech protectionism

Est. 4min

The EU and the US are expected to extend the mutual recognition for manufacturing standards to plasma and vaccines, as well as to keep monitoring the worrying protectionist developments in China on medical devices.

Health 14-11-2022

Adult immunisation key in shift towards preventative health

Est. 5min

European populations are growing older, increasing the burden on already struggling health systems, but one way of reducing the burden is through adult immunisation programmes to combat vaccine-preventable diseases.

Coronavirus 10-08-2022

EU eyes autumn approval of Pfizer jab for COVID-19 variants

Est. 3min

The EU's medicines watchdog said Wednesday (10 August) it aims to approve this autumn a Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine adapted for two fast-spreading subvariants of the Omicron strain.

Economy 29-06-2022

Backing IP waiver is wrong move in Europe’s fight against Covid

Est. 6min

A Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) waiver is neither useful nor effective in solving global vaccination issues, and comes with plenty of negative consequences, writes Pieter Cleppe.

Health 17-06-2022

WTO ministerial conference delivers TRIPS waiver to criticism

Est. 8min

Members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday (17 June) reached an agreement to waive certain parts of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), though the deal has been criticised by both pharmaceutical firms and civil society groups.

Global Europe 17-06-2022

WTO strikes global trade deals after ‘roller coaster’ talks

Est. 5min

The World Trade Organization agreed on the first change to global trading rules in years 17 June as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise.

Coronavirus 14-06-2022

Sanofi announces encouraging results for its booster against Omicron variant

Est. 3min

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced on Monday (13 June) encouraging results for its new generation vaccine against COVID, developed in collaboration with British company GSK, after two conclusive clinical trials.

Global Europe 24-05-2022

Indian vaccine giant Serum plans African plant in global expansion

Est. 3min

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, is considering setting up its first manufacturing plant in Africa as it looks to expand globally after its success in selling COVID-19 shots, its CEO said on 23 May.

Health 22-04-2022

Industry disputes claims that waiving IP rights will ensure availability of medicines

Est. 5min

The European Commission is leading talks on a waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on COVID vaccines and treatments. However, critics from the pharmaceutical industry argue that changes to the current IP system could jeopardise research and development in their sector.

Health 14-04-2022

EU defends IP waiver compromise amid pressure on India, South Africa to reject it

Est. 6min

A broad international platform of activists, unions and experts has urged India and South Africa to reject the leaked compromise on intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, which the European Commission considers the ‘most promising path’ to sort out the issue.

Health 24-03-2022

Better tools are need to end tuberculosis and anti-microbial resistance

Est. 6min

We need better tools to end TB and AMR, and the EU can and must lead these efforts, writes Nicolae Ștefănuță.

EU-Africa 22-03-2022

South Africa urged to reject EU offer on COVID waiver

Est. 3min

Leading economists have urged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject an EU and US compromise that would provide a temporary waiver on the intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines, warning that “a bad deal is worse than no deal".

Coronavirus 23-02-2022

COVAX vaccine supply outstrips demand for the first time

Est. 5min

The global project to share COVID-19 vaccines is struggling to place more than 300 million doses in the latest sign the problem with vaccinating the world is now more about demand than supply.

Coronavirus 17-02-2022

Moderna eyes COVID booster by August, not clear yet if Omicron-specific needed

Est. 3min

An Omicron-specific booster could be ready by August, the CEO of U.S. biotech firm Moderna told Reuters, but the firm is still gathering clinical data to determine whether that vaccine would offer better protection than a new dose of the existing jab.

EU-Africa 15-02-2022

EU, Africa at odds over vaccine patents ahead of summit

Est. 3min

The EU on Monday (14 February) stood by its refusal to lift patent protections on Covid vaccines, just days ahead of a summit with African Union countries who see the issue as a priority.

Elections 10-02-2022

Paris, Brussels ban Canada-style Covid ‘freedom convoys’

Est. 4min

Paris police said Thursday (10 February) they would ban so-called "freedom convoys" inspired by a truckers' protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Global Europe 10-02-2022

EU pushes for COVID vaccinations in Africa as supply ‘no longer’ a problem

Est. 3min

Top European Union officials said on Wednesday (9 February) low absorption of COVID-19 vaccines in African countries had become the main problem in the global vaccine rollout following a recent increase in supplies of jabs.

Health 09-02-2022

COVID vaccine tracker should be applied to 40 other vaccines, says ECDC

Est. 5min

EU countries need to further develop tracking tools to monitor vaccine rates, the director of the EU's infectious disease agency (ECDC) said, amongst talks of centring the role of digital health in preventative care.

Coronavirus 03-02-2022

German vaccine commission recommends Novavax vaccine for adults

Est. 2min

Germany's expert panel on vaccine use (STIKO) on Thursday (3 February) recommended Novavax's protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for basic immunisation for people over 18.