Pfizer launches ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’

Pfizer Inc. has launched ‘An Accord for a Healthier World.’ This groundbreaking initiative will provide all of Pfizer’s patented, high-quality medicines and vaccines available in the United States (US) or the European Union (EU) on a not-for-profit basis to 1.2 billion people in 45 lower-income countries. The Accord can significantly reduce the health inequities that exist between many lower-income countries and the rest of the world.

“As we learned in the global Covid-19 vaccine rollout, supply is only the first step to helping patients. We will work closely with global health leaders to make improvements in diagnosis, education, infrastructure, storage, and more. Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients,” commented Pfizer chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Albert Bourla.

The Accord countries include all the 27 low-income countries and another 18 lower-middle-income countries that have successfully transitioned from low to lower-middle-income classification in the last ten years. Pfizer will work with healthcare officials in five countries, namely Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda, to identify early insights and opportunities for ensuring that all these medicines and vaccines can reach those in need. This effort will include expertise for supporting diagnosis, healthcare professional education, training, supply chain management, and other infrastructure enhancements. The Accord will then apply learnings from those five countries to support the rollout for the remaining forty countries.

Pfizer will also collaborate with Accord participants to identify new quick and efficient regulatory pathways and procurement processes to reduce the more extended amount of time the initiative might otherwise find itself taking to make new medicines and vaccines available in these countries.

Under the new Accord, Pfizer has also committed to avail 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, certain cancers, and rare and inflammatory diseases—making such medicines and vaccines more readily available has the potential to treat non-communicable and infectious diseases, which currently result in the loss of lives of nearly one million people each year in these countries, and also the chronic diseases that significantly impact the quality of life for at least half a million more. As Pfizer launches new medicines and vaccines, those products are also included in the Accord portfolio on a not-for-profit basis.

The Accord also further aims to establish faster access to Pfizer’s future pipeline medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis to these 45 countries, particularly those that treat the diseases that disproportionately impact global health. With additional funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Pfizer is also advancing work on the development of vaccine candidates for preventing Group B Streptococcus (GBS), which is a leading cause of stillbirth and newborn mortality in low-income countries. They are also discussing opportunities to support Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine development, another maternal vaccine.

“Everyone, no matter where they live, should have the same access to innovative, life-saving drugs and vaccines,” claimed Bill Gates. He is the Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the founder of Microsoft Inc. “The Accord for a Healthier World could help millions more people in low-income countries get the tools they need to live a healthy life. Pfizer is setting an example for other companies to follow.” he added.

“Rapid and affordable access to the most advanced medicines and vaccines is the cornerstone of global health equity. Pfizer’s commitment under the Accord program sets a new standard in this regard. Combined with additional investments in strengthening Africa’s public health systems and pharmaceutical regulators, the Accord is an important step toward sustainable health security for countries at every income level,” His Excellency Paul Kagame said. He is the president of Rwanda.

“We must continue to strive for quality healthcare for all people to live longer, stronger and healthier lives,” added His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He is the President of Ghana. “It will require strong cooperation between the public and private sectors. We are proud to join this Accord to work together on this important goal.”