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Medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders says it would rather pay than accept a donation of one million pneumonia vaccine doses from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
In an Oct. 12 blog post, the humanitarian organization’s executive director Jason Cone explained why they rejected Pfizer’s donation offer, saying the organization is trying to raise awareness on the issue of medical affordability for many nations around the world, where the cost of the vaccine makes it out of reach. Such donations, he said, can also “undermine long-term efforts to increase access to affordable vaccines and medicines.”
While the vaccine is critical for many children in developing countries, it is “incredibly high-priced,” says Kate Elder, Doctors Without Borders’ vaccine policy advisor.
“We believe that we should have to pay the lowest global price,” Elder told CTV’s Your Morning on Monday.
For the past seven years, Doctors Without Borders has been trying to negotiate with Pfizer, as well as pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, to lower the price of the vaccine.
One of the reasons it’s so important, Elder said, is because there are other organizations and more importantly, other governments that need the vaccine.