Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Firms' Pandemic Foreign Policies Shed Light on COVID-19 Response

Researchers have investigated the international behavior of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms making vaccines against COVID-19, revealing distinct foreign policies among these companies. The study, published in the International Affairs journal, analyzed two specific points during the pandemic where these firms had strong hands to play in their negotiations with multiple states. The research concluded that these firms had distinct strategies and gave profits different degrees of importance in their pandemic foreign policies.

Key Takeaways:

• The study focused on the international behavior of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms making vaccines against COVID-19, highlighting their distinct foreign policies.
• The research identified five sets of activities that amount to firms having foreign policies: setting objectives, deciding pandemic strategies, establishing timelines, choosing instruments, and implementing strategies.
• At two specific points during the pandemic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms had strong hands to play in their negotiations with multiple states, securing advanced purchase agreements and controlling when governments received their orders.
• The firms' vaccine candidates were authorized for use, and multiple governments wanted their deliveries as quickly as possible, with firms controlling when governments received their orders.
• The study concluded that the vaccine firms had distinct strategies and gave profits different degrees of importance in their pandemic foreign policies.
• The research provides new insights into the pandemic response of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, shedding light on their foreign policies and strategies.

Statistics:

• The study analyzed the pandemic response of pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, focusing on two specific points during the pandemic.
• The firms had strong hands to play in their negotiations with multiple states, with governments willing to make major concessions to secure vaccine doses.
• The vaccine candidates were authorized for use, and multiple governments wanted their deliveries as quickly as possible.
• The firms controlled when governments received their orders, highlighting their strategic power during the pandemic.
• The study concluded that the vaccine firms had distinct strategies and highlighted the importance of profits in their pandemic foreign policies.

Sources:

• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Firms' Pandemic Foreign Policies. International Affairs, 2025;101(5):1877-1897.
• International Affairs can be contacted at: Oxford Univ Press, Great Clarendon St, Oxford OX2 6DP, England. (Wiley-Blackwell - www.wiley.com/; International Affairs - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1468-2346)