Pfizer ‘non-profit’ announcement: “PR spin” from a company with “no right to play God”

Responding to news that Pfizer has updated its Accord for a Healthier World, Mohga Kamal-Yanni, Policy Co-Lead for the People’s Vaccine Alliance, said:

“This is PR spin that pairs a large number of products with little serious commitment. It isn’t an act of benevolence. Many off-patent medicines are already produced by generic companies in the Global South, which raises the question – is Pfizer targeting generic competition?

“Pfizer is still picking and choosing which developing countries will be permitted affordable access. The ‘accord’ excludes Latin America from these lower prices, as well as large parts of Asia, Oceania, and most of the Caribbean. Pfizer claims that prices non-profit, but this cannot be verified while the company maintains total secrecy on the real cost of R&D and production.

“The world should not forget that it was generic competition that drove down the price of HIV medicines, enabling millions to access treatment. But Pfizer’s ‘accord’ does not allow generic companies to manufacture patented medicines.

“Where a sick person resides should not determine whether they live or die. And the decision of who has access to medicines certainly shouldn’t be made by a company obsessed with making obscene profits. Pfizer has no right to play God.”

/Ends

Notes for editors

This is a reaction to an announcement made by Pfizer: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-expands-accord-healthier-world-product-offering

The People’s Vaccine Alliance is a coalition of over 100 organisations and networks, supported by Nobel Laureates, health experts, economists, Heads of States, faith leaders and activists, working together for equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics: https://peoplesvaccine.org/supporters/

Media contact

Joe Karp-Sawey, Senior Media Advisor, People’s Vaccine Alliance

[email protected]