Australia lagging on contributions to global body funding Covid vaccine research

Australia’s contribution to a global body funding Covid-19 vaccine research is half that of New Zealand’s and a fraction of the UK’s and Canada’s, data shows.

Scott Morrison has been vocal in his assertion that whoever discovers a successful Covid-19 vaccine, if one is discovered, must share it with the rest of the world.

“There are many projects that are under way around the world and we have a process for identifying those that we believe we can take an early position on,” the prime minister said on Sunday.

“But the other thing Australia has been saying, and it’s supported strongly by the premiers, and I made this point earlier in the week, and that is whoever finds this vaccine must share it.”

Morrison’s comments echo the World Health Organization’s fears that vaccine nationalism may limit the equitable distribution of a successful vaccine, as it has in previous crises.

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Australia has committed a considerable amount overall to vaccine development. It has invested $333m in vaccines, therapeutics and Covid-19 medicines, including $256m in vaccines.

But its contributions to one of the main international organisations working to fund vaccine research and development, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), is less generous.

Cepi is dedicated to ensuring fears such as those Morrison expressed on inequitable distribution are not realised.

Australia has contributed US$4.8m (A$6.7m) to Cepi during the Covid-19 crisis.

Cepi has received a total of US$1.4bn from governments, private companies, and philanthropists.

Australia’s contribution sits well below New Zealand, a nation with a far smaller economy, which has given US$9.2m.

Comparable nations such as Canada and the UK have given Cepi US$28.2m and US$278m, respectively.

A Cepi spokeswoman said Australia had made separate contributions in 2018 and 2019, of US$1.5m and US$3.2m respectively, though they were not for Covid-19 vaccine development.

The organisation is still desperately searching for additional funding.

“Cepi urgently needs $700m to continue its R&D work to invest in additional Covid-19 vaccine candidates to increase the number of shots on goal at finding a safe and effective vaccine and to advance development of our existing Covid-19 vaccine candidates,” the spokeswoman said.

Australia has made other contributions to vaccine development that do not directly involve Cepi, including $5m to fund the University of Queensland’s molecular clamp vaccine development, and an active grant round of $13.6m to support promising Covid-19 development projects.

It is also engaged in direct procurement with leading international vaccine candidates, and says this process is “highly advanced with multiple candidates”.

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A spokesman for the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said the government was also participating in the international Covax facility, an international consortium designed to give participant nations access to vaccine candidates.

Australia is also examining onshore manufacturing, including through the pharmaceutical giant CSL.

Hunt’s office said the government was assured that CSL had the capacity to produce sufficient vaccine quantities for the entire Australian population, either through licence from abroad or working directly with Australian-based vaccines developers.

“We are confident that these investments and actions will secure early and sufficient access to a safe and effective vaccine,” Hunt’s spokesman said.

“The Australian government is deeply committed to ensuring all Australians have access to a world class health system, now and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The government is assured that CSL has the capacity to produce sufficient vaccine for the entire Australian population, either for Australian-based vaccines or under licence for leading international vaccines.”

The shadow health minister, Chris Bowen, said Australia must do more to fund vaccine development, including by contributing a greater amount to Cepi.

“The Morrison government needs to increase Australia’s investment in a vaccine, including in our contribution to Cepi,” he told the Guardian.

“The Morrison government has unfortunately been very tardy on almost every aspect of Covid vaccine development, from local research to supply agreements to support for global efforts.”

Hunt’s spokesman said Australia was “contributing significantly” to vaccine development both in this country and across the world. It had “direct investment in the work being progressed at the University of Queensland [UQ], investment in the capacity of the CSIRO, as well as ongoing contributions to the global efforts being coordinated by … Cepi”.

“Further, CSL has made a commitment that its dose allocation of the UQ vaccine will be used, at a minimum, to support its longstanding public health commitment to the Australian community.”