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> For Europe, one big obstacle was that the EU decided to bargain for vaccines as a group, which made the process of securing shots very cumbersome. As a result
by yokaze 6y ago
> For Europe, one big obstacle was that the EU decided to bargain for vaccines as a group, which made the process of securing shots very cumbersome. As a result, the region got cheaper vaccine prices but delayed delivery. The EU regulatory state has also reportedly gotten in the way of rapid approval.
I think, the emphasis is wrong there on bargaining as a group. The US bargained also "as a group", if you will.The EU prioritised (in my eyes wrongly) pricing over speedy delivery and was risk averse:
The US purchased most of the doses a whole half year before approval, the EU only bargained for options on vaccines pending approval.
There is a 10 day delay between the emergency approval of the FDA and the full approval of the EMA. But we do not see a 10 day delay in the vaccinations.
A delay of a ramp-up on the other hand by half-a-year looks more like what we see.
Also, the US does not allow exports of the vaccines produced in the US. To my knowledge, no such restrictions are in place in the EU.
- bitcurious 6y ago> Also, the US does not allow exports of the vaccines produced in the US. Can you cite this?
- yokaze 6y agoI don't remember where I read it originally. Google gives me: https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/15/under-an-america-first-president-will-the-u-s-corner-the-market-on-covid-19-vaccine/ https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/15/under-an-america-first-p... https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-trump-orders-priority-vaccine-access-for-us/a-55859711 https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-trump-orders-priori...
- makomk 6y agoAs far as I know it's not actually true. There was some speculation that the US might ban vaccine exports, and apparently this was why the UK wanted at least one locally-produced vaccine, but I'm pretty sure only the EU actually went ahead and did it. In fact, there were some suggestions that the UK might actually have to switch its source for the Pfizer vaccine to the US as a result.
- yokaze 6y agoProbably you are right. I fail to find any more concrete reference where the claim in the papers is based on.
- the_duke 6y agoMostly agreed. The EU also counted on some vaccines that have failed to deliver or are considerably delayed. One correction: the EU also introduced export restrictions a few weeks ago.