Access to the full content of the contracts relating to the purchase of the Covid vaccines

17.11.2021

Priority question for written answer  P-005175/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Vincenzo Sofo (ECR)

The Commission has focused its health strategy to combat COVID-19 on the use of vaccines – which have proven to be a key tool in the fight against pandemics in the past – by drawing up with pharmaceutical companies contracts for the purchase of the vaccines, permitting the time frame for testing to be reduced on the grounds of the emergency.

However, the content of those contracts has been made unavailable by the Commission, which has censored vital information such as the scientific data on the product, which were announced only by the media and which showed very high levels of effectiveness and duration of immunisation.

These data are currently being overturned by scientific reports, which show that immunisation becomes considerably weaker already in the first six months. This has prompted the Italian Government to consider reducing the time validity of the ‘Green Pass’.

If the conclusion of those contracts, which were recently renewed with a further increase in purchase prices, were based on the scientific data disclosed by the media at the negotiating stage, the quality of the product purchased would be lower than that announced and the price would be higher than it should be.

The Commission should therefore consider taking action against the suppliers in order to protect the final consumers.

To that end, will the Commission publish the full, non-redacted contracts for the purchase of the Covid vaccines?