Brussels, 18/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - At the joint procurement agreement steering committee meeting in Brussels on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 December, the member states were keen on joining forces to give easier access to vaccines against tuberculosis and hepatitis C and anti-toxins against diphtheria and botulism.
Community framework. In spring 2014, the European Union put in place a Community framework for the joint purchase of vaccines and medicines. This initiative, backed by all member states apart from Poland, allows four or more member states to come together to reserve a quantity of production capacity against serious cross-border threats to health (Decision 1082/2013/EU), that is, transmissible illnesses (flu pandemics, seasonal flu, AIDS, etc), chemical and environmental (including those linked to climate change) threats. In concrete terms, it allows the purchase of a minimum quantity of medical countermeasures and a quantity of production capacity to be reserved on payment of annual reservation charges (a percentage).
Tuberculosis top of the list. On Thursday 17 December, the Commission received the go-ahead from the member states to start work on tuberculosis, hepatitis C and the anti-toxins against diphtheria and botulism. This is a first step towards the possible joint purchase of these medical countermeasures. “At least four member states felt that it was at least worth considering taking joint action. Now it has to be determined what form the cooperation will take and when it will be put in place”, a well-placed source told EUROPE. Most progress has been made with regard to tuberculosis: some ten member states have backed joint action, beginning with information exchange. Several member states have spoken of difficulties they have faced in accessing a sufficient quantity of vaccines or of carrying any weight in negotiations with the pharmaceutical companies. It would appear that there is greater interest in antitoxins against diphtheria than against botulism. “There is only one supplier of antitoxins against diphtheria in the world. Up to seven member states support a negotiated procedure that will provide a store under favourable conditions”, we have been told. Cooperation on hepatitis C will certainly be the slowest to get started. Up to seven member states have shown an interest but the situation is more delicate in that practices, needs and approaches differ greatly from one state to another. “There will have to be an exchange of information before anyone can begin to think about doing something. … It is unlikely that anything will happen on this issue, not even a workshop, before 2017”, our source said. The next meeting of the steering committee will take place sometime in March 2016. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)