The New Nation - Internet Edition

Business Report

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) donates 50 million doses of its adjuvanted pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine to the WHO for distribution to developing countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

An agreement signing to this effect was recently held between GSK and WHO in Dhaka. GSK is working with the WHO and health authorities to prepare for initial shipments of the vaccine by the end of November.

"GSK is committed to supporting governments and health authorities around the world in their efforts to protect their populations against this pandemic. Our commitment recognises the needs of developing countries, and this donation of 50 million doses will enable vaccination to begin soon in some of the world's poorest countries." said Andrew Witty, CEO, GlaxoSmithKline.

In addition to the donation, to ensure that developing countries have access to pandemic vaccines, GSK is also supplying its vaccine to developing countries under a tiered pricing policy, based on World Bank Classification and GAVI eligibility. GAVI-eligible countries, which include the world's poorest, would receive highly preferential prices, based on volume orders. GSK has allocated 20 per cent of overall production of its Canadian manufacturing site to developing countries. The donation to the WHO is part of this allocation.

"We welcome this very generous donation by GlaxoSmithKline, which will go to protect tt"ie health of the world's poorest people. This is a real gesture of global solidarity towards those who would not be otherwise able to have access to the vaccine," said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General, WHO.

"WHO will now work to see that these vaccines are distributed to those who need them."

In addition to this agreement on vaccines, GSK continues to have discussions with the WHO about a donation of its antiviral medicine, Relenza. A tiered-pricing policy based on World Bank classification of countries is also in effect for Relenza, and the company is making Relenza Rotacaps and Diskhaler available at not-for-profit prices to the world's 50 least developed cuntries.