US to Send Abroad AstraZeneca Vaccines Amid Regulatory Hurdles

Strategic Insights -

The United States will send tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine abroad, despite the fact that its regulatory system has not yet approved the vaccine for use in the country. This move has been met with pressure from the international community, with many countries urging the Biden administration to share more vaccine doses to help combat the pandemic. President Joe Biden has confirmed that an additional 20 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson will be shared, on top of the 60 million AstraZeneca doses already planned for overseas distribution.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US will send 80 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines abroad, including 60 million doses sent from the US to other countries and 20 million doses from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson.
  • The vaccines will be sent to countries battling the pandemic, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
  • AstraZeneca has stated that it will deliver 30 million doses immediately followed by another 20 million within the first month, once the FDA authorizes the vaccine.
  • The vaccine has been linked to rare blood clots, particularly in younger people, with potential cases of bleeding and blood clotting identified in India and the UK.
  • The FDA has yet to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the US, with the company expecting to file for emergency use authorization in the coming weeks.
  • Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has stated that the country expects another 5 million AstraZeneca doses from the US.
  • The US has already shared over 4 million doses of its AstraZeneca vaccine with Canada and Mexico.

Statistics:

  • 80 million doses of vaccines will be sent abroad by the US, with 60 million doses of AstraZeneca and 20 million doses from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson.
  • More than 3.3 million people worldwide have died of COVID-19, including over 580,000 in the US.
  • 79 cases of blood clots were identified in the UK out of a total of over 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine administered.
  • 19 people died due to blood clots in the UK.
  • 60% of American adults have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose.
  • The goal of getting 70% of American adults partially vaccinated by July 4 has been set by President Biden.

Sources:

  • White House press secretary Jen Psaki
  • AstraZeneca executive vice president Ruud Dobber
  • UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI)
  • India's government
  • Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • International organization set up by the US to share vaccines equitably.