China's vaccine "entry into the WTO" eases the global vaccine shortage

　　□ Chen Runze, our correspondent in Sri Lanka

　　On May 7, local time, the World Health Organization announced that the new crown inactivated vaccine (Vero cells) developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products of China National Pharmaceutical Group officially passed the WHO emergency use certification.

This is the first new coronavirus vaccine developed outside Western countries and approved for use by the World Health Organization. It sends a positive signal to the world that China's vaccine is of high quality, safe to use, and that its efficacy meets the requirements of the World Health Organization.

The international community generally believes that China's vaccine entry into the WTO has given developing countries new and reliable vaccine options, and will make an important contribution to alleviating the global vaccine shortage and promoting vaccine accessibility and affordability.

　　China vaccine passed emergency use certification

　　On the afternoon of May 7, the WHO issued an emergency use certification for China's Sinopharm vaccine, making it the sixth new crown vaccine to obtain WHO's safety, effectiveness and quality verification.

　　Sinopharm vaccine is the first vaccine to carry a vaccine vial monitor. The small label on the vaccine vial will change its color due to the heating of the vaccine, so that health workers can judge whether the vaccine is safe and available.

Moreover, compared with vaccines in some Western countries, the easy storage of Sinopharm vaccines makes them very suitable for resource-poor environments.

Sinopharm vaccines can be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius, while the storage conditions for Modena vaccine are minus 20 degrees Celsius. Pfizer vaccines even need to be stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius. The harsh storage conditions undoubtedly reduce the mitigation of the epidemic situation. speed.

　　Although there are many advantages, it took a long time for Sinopharm vaccine to "enter the WTO".

It is reported that on December 28, 2020, Sinopharm submitted relevant documents for emergency use certification to WHO.

On January 11 this year, WHO Director-General Tan Desai announced that WHO has sent personnel to China to assess the compliance status of Sinopharm Group and Kexing Company's production specifications.

During the certification period, Sinopharm held several meetings with the WHO evaluation expert group to communicate, and responded to relevant questions and submitted relevant materials.

　　It can be seen that the emergency use list is extremely rigorous and can pass the emergency use certification, which is sufficient to show that China's vaccines are of high quality, safe to use, and qualified in efficacy. They are trustworthy.

Being included in the emergency use list is also a prerequisite for the supply of vaccines to the WHO-led "New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan".

Analysts said that Sinopharm’s “entry into the WTO” has expanded the list of vaccine libraries under the “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” and will help countries speed up the regulatory approval of the new crown vaccine.

　　In addition to the emergency use list assessment, WHO has an immunization strategy advisory expert group responsible for giving advice on how to use relevant vaccines.

According to the opinion of the WHO immunization strategy consulting expert group, two doses of the Chinese medicine vaccine are effective in preventing the new crown in adults (18 to 59 years old).

The opinion also pointed out that there are few data on the population over 60 in the clinical trials evaluated.

However, the final conclusion of the immunization strategy consulting expert group is that it is not recommended to set an upper limit for the use of the Sinopharm vaccine, because "there is no theoretical reason to believe that the vaccine has different safety between the elderly and the young."

　　Many countries express urgent need for Chinese vaccines

　　The World Health Organization pointed out that with the approval of the Sinopharm vaccine, developing countries that urgently need the new crown vaccine now have a reliable option.

Ahmed Ogwell, deputy director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that China's Sinopharm vaccine has been certified by the World Health Organization for emergency use, which is good news for the countries and people that have been hit hard by the epidemic.

　　At present, there is a serious unfair distribution of the new crown vaccine between developed and developing countries, rich and poor countries.

Unfair distribution of vaccines has led to far from being met for vaccination needs in developing countries, and slow progress in epidemic prevention and control has increased the risk of new spread and mutation of the virus.

　　In view of this, the "New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan" will distribute 2 billion doses of vaccine to the world in 2021, but only 50 million doses have been completed so far. India originally had to contribute 1 billion doses of vaccine, but due to the continuing domestic epidemic crisis in the country, A large number of mutant viruses have appeared, and exports have been suspended; Pfizer's vaccines have also been included in the WHO list, but they have been restricted when they are delivered to the "New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan"; Johnson & Johnson has not issued even a dose of vaccine; Modder Na’s vaccine was just added to the list on April 30.

　　Gandip Kang, a member of the WHO immunization advisory expert group and an Indian virologist, said that it is precisely because of these circumstances that Chinese vaccines have become an urgent need.

　　According to the US "Fortune" magazine website, as the hot spots of the new crown epidemic in India, Brazil and other countries are out of control, the United States and the European Union have been slow to respond to the global pandemic.

The crisis in India has led to the depletion of vaccine supplies, prompting many countries to turn to China.

Huang Yanzhong, a senior researcher on global health issues at the American Institute of Foreign Affairs, said: "China has not only become the largest exporter of vaccines, it has become the only option in many countries."

　　At the same time, from Uruguay to Senegal to Indonesia, countries have nowhere to turn for help except Beijing.

After India announced restrictions on vaccine exports last month, Indonesia and the Philippines said they would seek help from China.

The Indonesian government has stated that the country will obtain additional vaccines from Coxing, and Philippine President Duterte also stated in a speech that he is "indefinitely grateful" for the vaccine provided by China.

　　Chinese vaccines help equitable global distribution

　　According to data, as of May 11, WHO statistics have reported more than 1.2 billion doses of new coronavirus vaccines worldwide.

However, most of them occur in high-income countries, and the majority of low- and middle-income countries still face vaccine shortages.

Marianjeira Simao, WHO's assistant director-general in charge of obtaining medicines and health products, said that including the Sinopharm vaccine on the emergency use list may help countries seeking to protect health workers and high-risk populations to speed up access to the new crown vaccine.

　　The British "Nature" magazine article stated that for many countries, China's vaccines are the only available.

In some countries, such as Brazil, Turkey, and Chile, where tens of millions of people have been vaccinated, China provides 80% to 90% of vaccines. Researchers in these countries have also begun to see the effectiveness of these vaccines in controlling the epidemic. effect.

　　According to the website of the British "Financial Times", in Latin America, the region most affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Chinese vaccines are now occupying a dominant position.

The newspaper's analysis of government data shows that as Latin America is struggling to fight the deadly third wave of the epidemic, China has provided more than half of the 143.5 million doses of vaccine delivered to the region's 10 most populous countries.

　　The Wall Street Journal also actively praised the effectiveness and safety of Chinese vaccines and stated that Chinese vaccines will bring hope to the world to overcome the epidemic.

　　After the Sinopharm vaccine was approved by the WHO, Sri Lanka immediately vaccinated its residents with the Sinopharm vaccine. According to the statistics of the Sri Lankan Epidemiology Department, on May 11 alone, 17,000 Sri Lankans were vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine.

In addition, the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka stated that in addition to the established vaccination points, the capital city of Colombo has also set four local public hospitals as Sinopharm vaccination sites. People can make appointments for Sinopharm vaccines through the online platform. At present, most of the vaccination sites have been continuous. Shows the status of "full contract" for several days.

　　It is reported that Sinopharm Sinopharm is currently actively expanding its production capacity, using its six major biological product research institutes in Beijing, Wuhan, Changchun, Lanzhou, Chengdu, and Shanghai and Sinopharm Zhongsheng Biotechnology Research Institute to continue to expand production and packaging capabilities. The annual production capacity is expected More than 3 billion doses.

　　At present, China has provided vaccine assistance to more than 80 countries and 3 international organizations, exported vaccines to more than 50 countries, carried out vaccine research and development and production and cooperation with more than 10 countries, and has obtained vaccines in Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan and other places. Emergency authorized use. Undoubtedly, Chinese vaccines are becoming more and more popular. In the near future, under the premise of ensuring production capacity, Chinese vaccines will bring hope to more and more developing countries.