Thailand considering limits on AstraZeneca vaccine exports

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled "Astra Zeneca COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo, in this illustration photo taken March 14, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

 

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand is considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufactured AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to fight its own crisis, an official said on Wednesday, a move likely to impact neighbours and stir concerns of vaccine protectionism.

 

Any attempt to regulate exports could further slow vaccine rollout to Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, which are also battling spikes in infections and supply disruptions caused by earlier export curbs imposed by India.

 

The move also marks a fresh setback to AstraZeneca, which had initial delays in regional production and delivery and hoped to put it back on track from this month and meet its supply commitments to the region.

 

Nakorn Premsri, a key member of the National Vaccine Committee, told reporters when asked about a plan to place a quota on vaccine exports that the committee had "agreed in principle" on such a draft order.

 

"Right now, the order has not been issued yet," Nakorn said, adding that various agencies will need to review it and consider its impacts.

 

He did not address at what levels export quotas might be set.

 

Thailand is suffering its worst coronavirus outbreak yet, with hundreds of deaths in recent weeks and more than 8,000 new infections reported on many days this month - and only about 5% of its more than 66 million population is fully vaccinated.

 

AstraZeneca said in a statement its Thailand-manufactured vaccine "is of critical importance" to neighbouring countries where the pandemic is also accelerating.

 

"We are actively working with the government in Thailand and governments across Southeast Asia to continue to deliver equitable vaccine access to the region," the statement said.

 

In late June, AstraZeneca Thailand said its partner Siam Bioscience, owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, would produce 180 million doses this year, just over a third for Thailand and two thirds for elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

 

"Right now we will talk with the vaccine manufacturer so they can deliver the vaccine to Thailand in a suitable manner that matches the outbreak situation in the country," Nakorn told reporters.

 

AstraZeneca delivered 6 million doses, as promised, to Thailand in June when the country's mass vaccine rollout started. A Thai official last month said a similar volume would be delivered in July, short of the previously announced 10 million monthly doses.

 

Thailand has been producing the AstraZeneca vaccine since June and is slated to export it to several other countries in Southeast Asia, as well as Taiwan. The Philippines and Malaysia are among countries that have experienced delivery delays.

 

Thailand's government has so far used the AstraZeneca's viral vector vaccine and Sinovac inactivated virus vaccine.

 

(Additional reporting by Kay Johnson; Writing by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Martin Petty, Ed Davies and Alison Williams)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-15

 

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[ukrules]

I'm very sure this will break every agreement they've made with AstraZeneca.

 

I guess now they've got the capability they're ready to 'break out' on their own.

 

Good luck getting the updated vaccine from any company when the new version that caters for the delta and other future variants as it evolves comes along, they've been working on updated vaccines for months now back in Europe......

 

Every action has a consequence.

[shdmn]

6 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I'm very sure this will break every agreement they've made with AstraZeneca.

 

I guess now they've got the capability they're ready to 'break out' on their own.

 

Good luck getting the updated vaccine from any company when the new version that caters for the delta and other future variants as it evolves comes along, they've been working on updated vaccines for months now back in Europe......

 

Every action has a consequence.

India did exactly the same thing and they have since signed up for technology transfer with other vaccine manufactures like Novavax and Sputnik.  So what you are saying didn't happen there and it won't happen in Thailand either..

 

[ukrules]

16 minutes ago, shdmn said:

India did exactly the same thing and they have since signed up for technology transfer with other vaccine manufactures like Novavax and Sputnik.  So what you are saying didn't happen there and it won't happen in Thailand either..

We'll see about that in due course

[sammieuk1]

Nothing to do with AZ being not for profit then

[candide]

As usual, AZ doesn't seem to meet its production targets, so it remains a bit hypothetical.

[shdmn]

6 minutes ago, candide said:

As usual, AZ doesn't seem to meet its production targets, so it remains a bit hypothetical.

I think every AZ & JnJ factory in the world has production problems.  From what I have read it's really hard growing human cell culture and the exact recipe varies from factory to factory.  Each batch takes about 8 weeks so they can only tweak the process every 8 weeks.  So it takes a long time to increase production. 

 

The mRNA vaccines don't have that problem because they don't use human cell culture and it only takes them about 2 days to make a batch.  So they have been able to ramp up a lot faster.

[ezzra]

Oh the irony, Thailand actually manufacture the AZ vaccine and send overseas while thousands of it own people are dying like flies, that is very hard to comprehend...

[kiteman9]

     Ok lets say your home is full of many family,and freinds that are getting sick and dyeing from a virus. The supply of vaccines you have to control and save the lives of your household is limited at the time and barely enough. Do you think it is a good idea to sell some of your limited supply of vaccines to the outside world?

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

I think you are confusing the cell culture with the adenovirus vaccine vector which is something else.

 

https://www.gps-can.com.au/covid19-blog/covid-vaccine-fetal-cells

https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/is-it-true/is-it-true-does-the-oxfordastrazeneca-vaccine-contain-animal-dna

False info . No fetal cells are used at all.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-vaccine/fact-check-lung-tissue-of-an-aborted-male-foetus-is-not-in-the-vaccine-for-coronavirus-idUSKBN27W2I7

 

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/18/facebook-posts/oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-does-not-contain-aborte/

 

Stop posting misinformation 

[Scott]

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

I think every AZ & JnJ factory in the world has production problems.  From what I have read it's really hard growing human cell culture and the exact recipe varies from factory to factory.  Each batch takes about 8 weeks so they can only tweak the process every 8 weeks.  So it takes a long time to increase production. 

 

The mRNA vaccines don't have that problem because they don't use human cell culture and it only takes them about 2 days to make a batch.  So they have been able to ramp up a lot faster.

Not exactly true; not exactly untrue.  

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/verify/verify-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-contains-no-fetal-fragments/507-3948f81c-aa5b-4046-a629-3e1e5a4b6dbb

 

[Whale]

Seems like a good idea to me, I would assume its been discussed at length this last month with AZ and the "local partner" and they have said you need to put into place some legislation that covers our behinds with the other customers who have ordered or are ordering now in front of you.

I am wondering why we don't see any news about expansion of facilities as production is obviously not meeting demand anywhere. IMHO the governments (everywhere) should be building facilities for AZ. JJ. etc and the like, it's surely the cheapest option right now rather than waiting and seeing economic disaster continuing. .

[Dialemco]

37 minutes ago, Whale said:

Seems like a good idea to me, I would assume its been discussed at length this last month with AZ and the "local partner" and they have said you need to put into place some legislation that covers our behinds with the other customers who have ordered or are ordering now in front of you.

I am wondering why we don't see any news about expansion of facilities as production is obviously not meeting demand anywhere. IMHO the governments (everywhere) should be building facilities for AZ. JJ. etc and the like, it's surely the cheapest option right now rather than waiting and seeing economic disaster continuing. .

To manufacture AZ vaccine needs ingredients from other countries so if Thailand decides to restrict exports other countries may restrict vital components. Unfortunately Thailand was late in realising importance of vaccines owing initial low infections rates. Every effort should be made to increase production as it is essential entire population vaccinated in order to control the viras avoiding the Chinese vaccines if they are not effective. China is being very quiet so wonder how they are now experiencing the Pandemic.

[mtls2005]

Well, at least we know yellow-shirt protesters won't take over the AZ plant.

 

 

[mrwebb8825]

49 minutes ago, Whale said:

I am wondering why we don't see any news about expansion of facilities as production is obviously not meeting demand anywhere. IMHO the governments (everywhere) should be building facilities for AZ. JJ. etc and the like, it's surely the cheapest option right now rather than waiting and seeing economic disaster continuing. .

if you may recall some several years ago discussions about the over population of the planet but the biggest concern was how to "Cull" the unnecessary, the old and the poor? Well...

[mrwebb8825]

seems to me that their keeping 1/3 (roughly 66 million doses) from the 1st batch and repeating it with the 2nd batch is saving the people while lining their pockets. from 2 sales in their own warped little minds.

[kotsak]

2 hours ago, kiteman9 said:

     Ok lets say your home is full of many family,and freinds that are getting sick and dyeing from a virus. The supply of vaccines you have to control and save the lives of your household is limited at the time and barely enough. Do you think it is a good idea to sell some of your limited supply of vaccines to the outside world?

For those who put money above everything, yes it's a brilliant idea.  ????

[Inala]

Sounds fair enough to me. One has to look after their own backyard first. Get your own citizens fully vaccinated before worrying about other countries. 

[1duckyboy]

2 hours ago, kiteman9 said:

     Ok lets say your home is full of many family,and freinds that are getting sick and dyeing from a virus. The supply of vaccines you have to control and save the lives of your household is limited at the time and barely enough. Do you think it is a good idea to sell some of your limited supply of vaccines to the outside world?

In Thailand's case, I think it would depend on the price offered.

[khunjeff]

3 hours ago, shdmn said:

India did exactly the same thing and they have since signed up for technology transfer with other vaccine manufactures like Novavax and Sputnik.  So what you are saying didn't happen there and it won't happen in Thailand either..

India has long experience manufacturing vaccines, is the largest producer of vaccines in the world, and has over a billion potential vaccine recipients. None of those things is true of Thailand.

[Percy P]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Oh the irony, Thailand actually manufacture the AZ vaccine and send overseas while thousands of it own people are dying like flies, that is very hard to comprehend...

I've been for a man four Times but ,run out of vaccine .Ring use every week.

[vinci]

Quote

if you may recall some several years ago discussions about the over population of the planet but the biggest concern was how to "Cull" the unnecessary, the old and the poor? Well...

im not a conspiratheory but that has been in my mind for quite awhile now

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufactured AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to fight its own crisis, an official said on Wednesday, a move likely to impact neighbours and stir concerns of vaccine protectionism.

I don't think they have much say in where it goes, that was tied up contractually with the licence to produce in Thailand.

[DLock]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Oh the irony, Thailand actually manufacture the AZ vaccine and send overseas while thousands of it own people are dying like flies, that is very hard to comprehend...

There is no irony at all, and it's not hard to comprehend.

 

Thailand does not own any of those AZ vaccines. They are owned by Astra Zeneca as manufactured by their partner in Thailand, Siam Bioscience. The fact that they are manufactured in Thailand is irrelevant.

 

Thailand thinking they can divert vaccines from more needy countries that have placed orders with AZ  to cover its disastrous handling of the vaccine program, is delusional.

 

Having said that, would it surprise me if Thailand, given the owner of SB did that? No.

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, mrwebb8825 said:

if you may recall some several years ago discussions about the over population of the planet but the biggest concern was how to "Cull" the unnecessary, the old and the poor? Well...

Very true; how many state pensions have the UK Gov saved by letting Covid ravage through care homes?  Here vaccinating foreigners is frowned upon & many obstacles are thrown up.  Sending vaccines abroad begs the question are there no aliens in Vietnam etc?

[4MyEgo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

a move likely to impact neighbours and stir concerns of vaccine protectionism.

Yep, Thai's 1st, everyone else last.

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Oh the irony, Thailand actually manufacture the AZ vaccine and send overseas while thousands of it own people are dying like flies, that is very hard to comprehend...

It may come as a surprise but the vaccine will do little to reduce the "thousands of it own people are dying like flies", primarily RTA.

[maddermax]

Here they are, talking about exporting the home made vaccine to other countries when there are millions of us still waiting our first shot!

They took a gamble on not importing any vaccines in the expectation that the domestic version would be ready and fit for purpose. You can't gamble with people's health and welfare.

Shameful.

[Jimbo2014]

There goes Hub of Vaccine production ????

[shdmn]

3 hours ago, Scott said:

Not exactly true; not exactly untrue.  

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/verify/verify-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-contains-no-fetal-fragments/507-3948f81c-aa5b-4046-a629-3e1e5a4b6dbb

 

I posted the link with the info including the scientific name of exactly what they are using.  Go argue with them about it.  You seem to be confusing fetal cell culture with fetal cells.  It's a cultured product about 1000x removed from fetal cells.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEK_293_cells