Rich nations have millions of mpox shots as Africa's outbreak spreads; Will they share? (updated)
12/09/2024 11:48
(Adds Japanese govt comment, par 19)
*
Fewer than 4 million doses pledged out of needed 18-22
million
*
New strain has spread to 14 African countries
*
High vaccine prices, slow regulatory procedures hinder
response
By Jennifer Rigby, Julie Steenhuysen
Sept 12 (Reuters) - Rich countries have several hundred
million doses of vaccines that could help fight an mpox outbreak
in Africa, where donated shots fall far short of what is needed,
according to a Reuters tally of public statements, documents and
estimates from non-governmental organizations.
The shots have been stockpiled for years by countries such
as Japan, the United States and Canada in case smallpox, an
eradicated disease that is the more dangerous cousin of mpox,
ever makes a comeback. Some of the vaccines were used outside of
Africa in 2022 when mpox spread globally.
A small fraction of those doses could help curb what is now
the biggest mpox outbreak on record in the Democratic Republic
of Congo and neighboring countries, disease experts say.
Fewer than 4 million doses have been pledged for donation
out of an estimated 18 million to 22 million that are needed to
vaccinate 10 million people in the next six months, depending on
the vaccine, Africa's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
said in a statement.
"It's not a technical question, it's a political one," Maria
Van Kerkhove, acting head of pandemic and epidemic prevention at
the World Health Organization, told Reuters. She is lobbying for
more donations alongside Africa's CDC and other health
authorities.
"Vaccines are useless on shelves," Van Kerkhove said. "Why
wouldn't we get them to the people who need them right now?"
The current outbreak began in early 2023 in Congo, which
accounts for most of the 37,500 infections and 1,451 deaths. It
has spread to 14 African countries, according to Africa's CDC. A
first inoculation campaign using 265,000 donated shots is due to
begin in Congo in early October.
"If we'd had more doses earlier, we could have planned a
large-scale campaign and reduced transmission," said Cris
Kacita, head of Congo's mpox response.
Health officials are concerned about a new strain, known as
clade Ib, which was first identified in Congo and appears to
spread more easily by close contact. Children are particularly
vulnerable to mpox, as well as people with immune system
conditions like HIV. The risk outside of Africa appears low at
this time.
"Children are the main victims of this epidemic. The first
emergency is not really being treated," Kacita said.
Other factors have held back the mpox response, including slow
regulatory procedures at WHO and in Congo, high vaccine prices
and competing health crises exacerbated by conflict in the
country.
Mpox shots alone are not a magic bullet and affected
countries also need access to testing and awareness-raising to
tackle outbreaks effectively, disease experts say.
But the stark divide on vaccine access shows governments are
still not prepared to stamp out viral threats where they begin
and before they spread.
"The disinterest in mpox and other viral threats where they
emerge is a significant danger to people the world over," said
Peter Maybarduk, access to medicines director at the U.S.
consumer group Public Citizen.
WHERE ARE THE DOSES?
Three vaccines recommended by the WHO are held in stockpiles
worldwide: Bavarian Nordic's BAVA.CO Jynneos (Imvanex or
Imvamune outside the United States); KM Biologics' LC16; and
Emergent BioSolutions' EBS.N ACAM2000.
They are all being considered for purchase and donation in
Africa, said a spokesperson for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a
global group that helps lower-income countries buy vaccines. The
group has up to $500 million available for the mpox response.
Many wealthy countries declined to say how much vaccine they
have, citing national security reasons.
Japan has around 200 million doses of LC16, according to a WHO
document from 2022. Unlike rival shots, LC16 can be used for
children, although it is not available outside of Japan and
requires special needles to administer.
Kacita said Congo is in discussions for up to 3.5 million
LC16 doses from Japan.
KM Biologics declined to comment. A Japanese health official
said Congo had asked for 3.05 million doses, but would not
confirm the timing of the delivery. He said the WHO's 200
million figure was not correct but would not confirm the size of
the national stockpile.
Canada may have up to 2 million doses from Bavarian Nordic in
its stockpile, said Adam Houston, medical policy and advocacy
adviser for Medecins Sans Frontieres Canada, based on previous
years’ announcements from the company. This shot was used to
curb the 2022 mpox outbreak outside of Africa. This week, the
Canadian government said it would donate up to 200,000 doses.
U.S. officials declined to disclose how much vaccine is in
its stockpile, but two senior Biden administration officials
said it is enough to protect its population.
That includes around 100 million doses of Emergent's
vaccine, according to Maybarduk, as well as an unspecified
number of Jynneos shots, which experts say have fewer side
effects. The U.S. has donated 60,000 Jynneos doses to the
current outbreak.
Spain is among the largest confirmed donors, pledging in
August 20% of its mpox vaccine stockpile, or 500,000 doses. The
country has urged all European Union member states do the same.
The European Commission has a joint procurement contract
with Bavarian Nordic to buy vaccines for donations, and has sent
215,000 doses to Congo.
"Some of the vaccines could cost around $150 for a person to
be fully vaccinated, a price that is unaffordable to most
African countries," a spokesperson for the Africa CDC team in
DRC said. "So donated vaccines from countries is all the more
important."
(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby in London and Julie Steenhuysen in
Chicago; Additional reporting by Sonia Rolley, Anna Mehler
Paperny in Toronto, Rocky Swift in Tokyo, Christian Kraemer in
Berlin, Inti Landauro in Madrid, Maggie Fick in London, Gleb
Bryanski, Niklas Pollard in Stockholm, Louise Rasmussen in
Copenhagen, Lefteris Papadimas in Athens, Jihoon Lee in Seoul;
Editing by Michele Gershberg and Bill Berkrot)
((mailto:michele.gershberg@thomsonreuters.com))