(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) Macron inspects French pharmaceutical giants to promote the development of new crown vaccines
China News Agency, Paris, June 16 (Reporter Li Yang) French President Macron inspected French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on the 16th local time, seeking to promote the development of a new crown vaccine.
Data map: French President Macron. China News Service reporter Yin Liqin
Macron inspected the Sanofi vaccine production plant near Lyon, France that day. He said that the new crown vaccine will be the solution to end the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and France will promote the development and production of new crown vaccine. He reiterated that once a vaccine is developed, everyone should have access to it.
Sanofi announced on the same day that it will invest 610 million euros in the research and development of new crown vaccines in France, of which 500 million euros will be used for new vaccine production bases and 110 million euros will be used for the establishment of R&D centers. Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson said in a statement that Sanofi places France at the center of its strategy and is "more important than ever."
Macron welcomed Sanofi’s decision and pointed out that this investment is in line with the French national strategy, reducing dependence on imports, strengthening domestic production in France, helping to restore the economy hit by the epidemic, and creating jobs.
Macron also said that self-reliance does not mean isolation, he stressed that countries must continue to work together to develop new crown vaccines. He expressed opposition to any form of refusal to provide vaccines, and pointed out that it is unacceptable for underdeveloped countries not to obtain the new crown vaccine.
Hudson said last month that Sanofi would give priority to the supply of the new crown vaccine to the United States, triggering uproar, and French officials criticized it. Sanofi subsequently changed the above statement. Sanofi and the United States Advanced Research and Development Administration of Biomedicine (BARDA) have co-developed vaccine projects.
In addition, Macron also said that people noticed through this epidemic that certain commonly used drugs are no longer produced in France and Europe. He believes that this situation needs to be changed, and announced that the French government will invest 200 million euros in medical research and development, and relocate the production capacity of some drugs back to France.
There were 29,547 deaths from new coronary pneumonia in France on the 16th, and 111 new deaths on the same day. In France, 344 newly diagnosed cases were added on the 16th. There are 10535 hospitalized cases and 820 severe cases. (Finish)