AstraZeneca says 29 million COVID-19 doses in Italy are for EU, poorer countries
3/24/2021 6:58:06 PM
AstraZeneca said on Wednesday that some 29 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines found in an inspection at a plant in Italy were destined for the EU and for donations to poorer countries via the COVAX scheme co-led by the World Health Organization.
At the request of the European Commission, Italian security forces inspected a Catalent factory in Anagni, near Rome, at the weekend and found the store of vaccine doses, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa. An Italian official confirmed the report of the inspection and said the doses were to be sent to Belgium.
EU lawmaker Peter Liese, from the same party as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the report left him speechless, and he urged AstraZeneca to clarify the situation.
The flurry of reactions to the report reflects the level of mistrust in the EU towards the Anglo-Swedish firm, which slashed its supply target to the EU by the end of June to 100 million from 300 million envisaged in its contract with the 27-nation bloc.
"A stock of almost 30 million doses has been identified near Rome during an inspection we put in place. It has now been seized," French government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters after a cabinet meeting. "The EU won't be the fall guy of vaccinations."
Later on Wednesday, AstraZeneca said that most of the doses in the Catalent plant were for the EU, and the rest were for poorer countries supplied by the COVAX scheme co-led by the World Health Organization.
"There are no exports currently planned other than to COVAX countries. There are 13 million doses of vaccine waiting for quality control release to be dispatched to COVAX," the company said.
The remaining 16 million will be shipped to Europe this month and in April, it said.
The European Commission declined to comment on the doses at the Anagni factory. Catalent was not immediately available for comment.
At the request of the European Commission, Italian security forces inspected a Catalent factory in Anagni, near Rome, at the weekend and found the store of vaccine doses, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa. An Italian official confirmed the report of the inspection and said the doses were to be sent to Belgium.
EU lawmaker Peter Liese, from the same party as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the report left him speechless, and he urged AstraZeneca to clarify the situation.
The flurry of reactions to the report reflects the level of mistrust in the EU towards the Anglo-Swedish firm, which slashed its supply target to the EU by the end of June to 100 million from 300 million envisaged in its contract with the 27-nation bloc.
"A stock of almost 30 million doses has been identified near Rome during an inspection we put in place. It has now been seized," French government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters after a cabinet meeting. "The EU won't be the fall guy of vaccinations."
Later on Wednesday, AstraZeneca said that most of the doses in the Catalent plant were for the EU, and the rest were for poorer countries supplied by the COVAX scheme co-led by the World Health Organization.
"There are no exports currently planned other than to COVAX countries. There are 13 million doses of vaccine waiting for quality control release to be dispatched to COVAX," the company said.
The remaining 16 million will be shipped to Europe this month and in April, it said.
The European Commission declined to comment on the doses at the Anagni factory. Catalent was not immediately available for comment.