According to the latest information, the World Health Organization (WHO) is rejecting Medicago’s candidate vaccine against COVID-19 because of the pharmaceutical’s links with the cigarette company Philip Morris, a minority shareholder, which owns 20% of the shares. In the background, the conditions of the WHO are very severe concerning the links of manufacturers with tobacco companies, we learn from the mouth of the deputy director general of the WHO for access to medicines, vaccines and products pharmaceuticals.
However, it is useful to remember that the Covifenz vaccine, from the company Medicago, established in Quebec, was approved by Health Canada last February. For its part, Canada has invested $173 million in Medicago in 2020 to support the development of the Covifenz vaccine and help Medicago expand its production plant in Quebec. He has also signed a contract to buy at least 20 million doses, with options for 56 million more. Additionally, Canada had planned to donate any excess doses of vaccines to low-income countries through COVAX, which can only use vaccines for which the WHO has granted an emergency use license. so that a rejection of Medicago could deprive underdeveloped countries of the Medicago vaccine where it would be very useful, even vital.
The world is still today in the grip of a pandemic which continues to wreak havoc, mainly in developing countries. However, in these countries, millions of human beings have not yet received vaccines. WHO is facing an exceptional situation which requires de facto an exceptional solution where principles must give way to ethics. Consequently, the WHO must show humanity and grant an emergency use license to Medicago.
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