G20 leaders and biopharmas pledge to share vaccines

The leaders of the G20 convened in Rome Friday for the Global Health Summit, where they made specific commitments to global vaccine access that are very much aligned with BIO’s views and proposed SHARE Program. 

The G20 leaders signed the Rome Declaration, which “reaffirms continued multilateral support for preparedness, prevention, detection, and response to the pandemic, as well as appropriate and sustainable funding for collaborative global response efforts, especially the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator,” explains Global Citizen.

The declaration emphasizes the importance of “global sharing of safe, effective, quality, and affordable vaccine doses,” as well as the need for sufficient funding for the ACT Accelerator and COVAX.  

They also affirmed support for “efforts to strengthen supply chains and boost and diversify global vaccine-manufacturing capacity,” noting the importance of the COVAX Manufacturing Task Force. (BIO is a partner.)  

Read the declaration.

In addition, biopharmaceutical manufacturers pledged 1.3 billion vaccine doses at low cost/no profit to low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2021. These include 1 billion of Pfizer-BioNTech, 200 million of Johnson & Johnson, and 100 million of Moderna, with an additional 1 billion total pledged for 2022. 

The G20 commitments are aligned with BIO’s views on the best ways to promote vaccine access worldwide. BIO’s proposed COVID Global Strategy for Harnessing Access Reaching Everyone (SHARE) Program calls on countries to work together to ensure sufficient global supply, share surplus doses (and specifically reduce trade barriers to sharing), and strengthen and support health care systems in low- and middle-income countries.

Dr. Michelle’s Diagnosis: BIO welcomes this important declaration of 20 world leaders on how to best combat the global COVID crisis, including its emphasis on expanding voluntary global partnerships, which BIO members are exploring every day. – BIO President & CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath

Listen: Why We Can and Must SHARE Vaccines with the Globe 

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“Using a technique called optogenetics, researchers added light-sensitive proteins to the man’s retina, giving him a blurry view of objects.”

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a 90-day progress report on climate-smart agriculture and forestry, and we like a lot of the ideas they’re cooking up. 

ICYMI: In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requested stakeholder input on a “climate-smart agriculture and forestry strategy,” including biofuels, bioproducts, and renewable energy, catastrophic wildfire, and meeting the needs of disadvantaged communities.

BIO applauded USDA for taking this on—read our response. 

Now, USDA has released a 90-day progress report outlining conversations with stakeholders and preliminary takeaways—read it here.  

The report does not provide specific policy proposals—but it does tell us what USDA’s thinking regarding climate programs, specifically on the role of the farmer in addressing climate change, and the need for equity and environmental justice. 

A few takeaways:

• USDA needs to “quantify, track, and report” the benefits of climate-smart efforts, and “develop or enhance tools to assist farmers, ranchers, and foresters in quantifying benefits” and GHG reductions.
• Equity and environmental justice are essential. The strategy must work for all farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and communities. “USDA recognizes that Black and Indigenous farmers and ranchers have been innovators in regenerative agriculture and will ensure that their leadership helps shape” the strategy, which “must establish the support systems that enable Black farmers and other socially disadvantaged producers to take advantage of the opportunities that climate-smart practices provide.”
• USDA must “support new and better markets” for commodities produced in a climate-smart way—and help producers overcome barriers and limitations. This might include “voluntary markets for carbon where agriculture and forestry can provide carbon offsets or credits,” says the report, as well as “markets for low-carbon biofuels, renewable energy, and biobased and wood products.”

Many of these ideas are aligned with what BIO proposed, including incentivizing adoption of sustainable technology and practices, investing in technology, and helping producers (especially socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers) be part of the climate solution.

The next steps: USDA says they will continue stakeholder outreach and develop strategies based on feedback, so stay tuned.

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From June 10-11, you can get a head start at BIO Digital with the Innovation Stage featuring key sectors of the biotech ecosystem like the Academic Campus, including Company Presentations, Global Marketplace, Patient Central, Solutions Exchange, and NIH Innovation Zone. 

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President Biden’s Tuesday: President Biden and Vice President Harris will meet with the family of George Floyd on the anniversary of his death. The President’s budget is expected by the end of the week.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing on the FY22 budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).