Volunteer doctors of Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) have released a new report on vaccine pricing, arguing that big pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer need to cut the price of the pneumoccal vaccine to $5, or £3.20, per child in developing countries.
This call stems from not only the steeper price of the product at present, but also the monopoly the two companies have over the production of this vaccine. Current data indicates that poorer countries like Tunisia pay far more than developed countries like France, with at least a $9 discrepancy per vaccine.
MSF go on further in their report to say that they face increasing challenges to offering full immunization to children. Gavi, an inter-governmental alliance that allows for discounted vaccines, is becoming less and less useful as many middle-income countries do not receive support and cannot pay for those in need.
Medicine applicants should read further on the medical ethics of considering costs in treatment, while Economics and HSPS applicants should investigate the corporate social responsibility of corporations in healthcare.
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