Amazon, pharma firms should help COVID-19 vaccine reach poorest - German minister

Reuters
·1 min read

BERLIN, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Companies that have benefitted from the coronavirus crisis, such as Amazon and drugmakers, should join wealthy countries in helping to fund access to vaccines for poorer nations, Germany's international development minister said on Tuesday.

Herculean research efforts have seen several promising vaccines reach the brink of approval in recent weeks. But with richer countries ordering up supplies, concerns have grown that poorer nations will miss out.

Gerd Mueller, Germany's development minister, said it should not only be richer governments trying to make sure the developing world gets its fair share.

"Private companies that have particularly profited from the coronavirus crisis, like Amazon or the pharmaceuticals companies also have an obligation," he told Reuters.

On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was concerned that not enough had been done to ensure adequate supplies of the new vaccines were available to poorer states, even as European governments and the United States snapped up supplies.

Pharmaceutical firms should offer the World Health Organization's COVAX initiative - designed to make available supplies to poorer countries - "the best possible conditions and good prices" for their vaccines, Mueller said. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Thomas Escritt, editing by Mark Potter)

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • French, Lebanese leaders discuss effort to quell Hezbollah, Israel clashes

    French President Emmanuel Macron met Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the country's army chief Joseph Aoun in Paris on Friday for talks on how to end cross-border fighting between Hezbollah and Israel and ease a political stalemate in Lebanon. A statement from Mikati's office said he discussed with Macron a French proposal to end cross-border fighting that envisions increased support for the Lebanese army and the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from within 10 km (six miles) of the border.

  • CHIPS President explains why she became a volunteer in Wetaskiwin

    Around three years ago, when Desiree Graham started her new journey in the City of Wetaskiwin, she tried to find ways to connect with locals! She found her passion in taking care of kids in the city. That’s how Graham landed her new volunteer position as a board member for the Children Indoor Playground Society (CHIPS) in Wetaskiwin. “I was looking at ways to socialize with other adults, as when you have a day home and you don’t have children of your own, you kind of feel a little bit isolated,”

  • Injured Toronto FC star Lorenzo Insigne back running but still some weeks away

    TORONTO — There was a welcome sighting of Toronto FC star Lorenzo Insigne running with a trainer Friday while the rest of the team warmed up before training on a damp day at BMO Field. But the former Napoli captain, who has not played since March 23 when he hobbled off the field with a hamstring injury in first-half stoppage time of the 2-0 win over visiting Atlanta United, is still some weeks away. Toronto hosts the New England Revolution on Saturday. "I'd like to frighten New England and say h

  • Melania Trump gives rare interview stressing ‘unity’ as her husband faces hush money trial

    Former first lady attends event with GOP LGBT+ group the Log Cabin Republicans

  • 'A life skill': Niagara Falls High School stresses financial literacy importance

    The first cohort of Niagara Falls High School students who took required financial literacy classes will be graduating soon — creating an opportunity to showcase the importance of money management.

  • Man sets himself on fire in protest area outside Trump trial

    A man has set himself on fire outside the courthouse in New York where former US President Donald Trump is on trial. The man was in the designated protest area outside the courthouse. It comes after jury selection for Trump's hush money trial concluded with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president covered up payments to women who alleged they had affairs with him.

  • Primary school teacher accused of murdering her boyfriend revealed ‘alter ego’ in journal entries, court told

    Fiona Beal admits killing her partner Nicholas Billingham but denies it was murder as court told she hid his body in a ‘de facto coffin’

  • AI Chip Leader Arm Stock Dives Below A Key Support Level, Is It A Buy Right Now?

    AI chip stock Arm Holdings surged more than 152% past a recent buy point. Following that advance, is Arm stock a buy in today's stock market?

  • Person rushed away on a stretcher after fire extinguished outside Trump hush money trial

    Person rushed away on a stretcher after fire extinguished outside Trump hush money trial

  • The Latest | Full jury of 12 people and 6 alternates seated in Trump’s hush money trial

    NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated on Friday in former President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal case. The completion of jury selection sets the stage for opening statements in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president to begin Monday, as well as weeks of testimony in a case charging Trump with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life emerging in the final days of the 2016 election. The jury includes a sales professional,

  • I gave my 9-year-old a smartphone – here’s why

    When Sarah Janes’ daughter asked her for a smartphone at the tender age of six, the mother-of-one from Bedford pushed back with some force. As an IT expert, she was well aware of a phone’s addictive qualities and the harmful impact the devices can have on a young person’s mood, sleeping patterns and brain development.

  • Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial court

    A man set himself on fire outside the New York courtroom where a full jury had been selected to hear Donald Trump’s hush money trial only moments before.

  • Knicks and 76ers got past injuries that could've ruined them. Now they meet in playoffs

    GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Brunson and his New York teammates refused to let injuries knock them down. Joel Embiid of Philadelphia wouldn't let his keep him down. It was just days apart in January when the Knicks and 76ers were rocked by what could have been season-swinging blows. The Knicks were rolling through teams during one of the best months in franchise history when starting forwards Julius Randle and OG Anunoby went out of the lineup on the same day. Both needed surgery, with the All-

  • Germany coach Nagelsmann extends contract through 2026 World Cup. Bayern left still searching

    BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has extended his contract by two years, taking him beyond the upcoming European Championship and through the 2026 World Cup. It also rules out Nagelsmann returning to Bayern Munich, which is looking for a new coach for next season after deciding to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of this season. Nagelsmann was the reported favorite following Xabi Alonso’s decision to stay with Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern has to look elsewhere after two high-prof

  • Trump’s hush money trial jury is set. Here’s why we won’t learn much about them.

    The jury that will decide whether Donald Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records is made up of seven men and five women who live in Manhattan.

  • Toronto FC, New England looking to turn the tide after disappointing showings

    Toronto FC and the New England Revolution are both looking to climb out of a hole when they meet Saturday at BMO Field. After a promising start under John Herdman, injury-depleted Toronto (3-4-1) has lost three straight while being outscored 10-3. New England (1-5-1) made it as far as the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup but has found league wins hard to come by under new coach Caleb Porter. Porter sees some similarities with Toronto. "There's a transition that their club's going thro

  • Logan Webb keeps spinning, Mike Trout is fully back, Mets city connect uniform released

    Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the rough debut from Jack Leiter, Logan Webb continuing to absolutely spin for the Giants, discuss things they love & hate, give their good, bad and Uggla for the week and react to the new Mets city connect uniforms.

  • Israel’s measured strike on Iran sends a deliberately mixed message to the world

    The message sent by Israel’s limited military strike on Iran depends entirely on where you sit – and that “ambiguity” is very much intentional.

  • Magnificent Seven Stocks To Buy And Watch: Nvidia Stock Dives Below Key Level

    Magnificent Seven stocks, including AI leader Nvidia, are among the best stocks to buy and watch in today's stock market.

  • New trial in Elk Grove police death case ordered over ‘false or misleading’ testimony

    “In this case, false testimony prevented plaintiffs from fully and fairly presenting their case.”