The Impact of Pneumococcal Vaccines in Developing Countries
1. Introduction
Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of death in young children worldwide, with over one million deaths each year. Globally, there are an estimated two million new cases of pneumococcal disease each year. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can infect the lungs, bronchi, and brain. The most common form of pneumococcal disease is pneumonia, which is a leading cause of death in young children. Other forms of pneumococcal disease include meningitis, sepsis, and ear infections.
Pneumococcal vaccines are the most effective way to prevent pneumococcal disease. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines: conjugate vaccines and polysaccharide vaccines. Conjugate vaccines are recommended for infants and children under five years of age, as they are more effective in this age group. Polysaccharide vaccines are recommended for adults over the age of fifty years.
In developing countries, the cost of pneumococcal vaccines is a major barrier to their use. The majority of pneumococcal vaccines currently on the market are priced at over US$ 10 per dose, which is out of reach for many families in developing countries. In addition, most developing countries do not have government policies or programs in place to subsidy the cost of these vaccines. As a result, the majority of children in developing countries do not receive the recommended two doses of pneumococcal vaccine.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a major supporter of efforts to increase access to pneumococcal vaccines in developing countries. In 2013, the foundation committed US$ 775 million to support the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines (PCV) in developing countries. This funding has been used to provide financial incentives to manufacturers of PCV, as well as to support the infrastructure needed to deliver the vaccine to hard-to-reach populations. As a result of this investment, over 80% of infants in developing countries had received at least one dose of PCV by 2016.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the leading manufacturers of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 10-valent PCV (PCV10) is currently being used in over 60 developing countries. GSK has also recently introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, GSK committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
The introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines has been successful in reducing the incidence and mortality from pneumococcal disease in developed countries. However, these vaccines are still not widely used in developing countries due to their high cost and lack of government policies or programs to subsidy their use. In order for conjugate pneumococal vaccines to have a similar impact in developing countries, it is essential that their costs are reduced and that more governments put policies and programs in place to promote their use.
2. Pneumococcal Vaccines Markets in Developing Countries
2.1 AMC and Pneumococcal Vaccines
The Access to Medicine Index (AMC) is an independent, non-profit organization that ranks the world’s top 20 research-based pharmaceutical companies on their ability to make medicines and vaccines accessible to people in developing countries. The AMC’s latest ranking, released in 2017, shows that three companies – GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck & Co., and Pfizer – are leaders in making pneumococcal vaccines accessible to people in developing countries.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the world’s largest manufacturer of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 10-valent PCV (PCV10) is currently being used in over 60 developing countries. GSK has also recently introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, GSK committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
Merck & Co. is the second largest manufacturer of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 7-valent PCV (PCV7) is currently being used in over 50 developing countries. Merck has also introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, Merck committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
Pfizer is the third largest manufacturer of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 10-valent PCV (PCV10) is currently being used in over 30 developing countries. Pfizer has also recently introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, Pfizer committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
2. 2 Cost of Pneumococcal Vaccines in Developing Countries
The cost of pneumococcal vaccines is a major barrier to their use in developing countries. The majority of pneumococcal vaccines currently on the market are priced at over US$ 10 per dose, which is out of reach for many families in developing countries. In addition, most developing countries do not have government policies or programs in place to subsidy the cost of these vaccines. As a result, the majority of children in developing countries do not receive the recommended two doses of pneumococcal vaccine.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a major supporter of efforts to increase access to pneumococcal vaccines in developing countries. In 2013, the foundation committed US$ 775 million to support the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines (PCV) in developing countries. This funding has been used to provide financial incentives to manufacturers of PCV, as well as to support the infrastructure needed to deliver the vaccine to hard-to-reach populations. As a result of this investment, over 80% of infants in developing countries had received at least one dose of PCV by 2016.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the leading manufacturers of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 10-valent PCV (PCV10) is currently being used in over 60 developing countries. GSK has also recently introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, GSK committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
The introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines has been successful in reducing the incidence and mortality from pneumococcal disease in developed countries. However, these vaccines are still not widely used in developing countries due to their high cost and lack of government policies or programs to subsidy their use. In order for conjugate pneumococal vaccines to have a similar impact in developing countries, it is essential that their costs are reduced and that more governments put policies and programs in place to promote their use.
2.3 Financial Incentives for Pneumococcal Vaccine Manufacturers in Developing Countries
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a major supporter of efforts to increase access to pneumococcal vaccines in developing countries. In 2013, the foundation committed US$ 775 million to support the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines (PCV) in developing countries. This funding has been used to provide financial incentives to manufacturers of PCV, as well as to support the infrastructure needed to deliver the vaccine to hard-to-reach populations. As a result of this investment, over 80% of infants in developing countries had received at least one dose of PCV by 2016.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the leading manufacturers of pneumococcal vaccines. The company’s 10-valent PCV (PCV10) is currently being used in over 60 developing countries. GSK has also recently introduced a 13-valent PCV (PCV13), which offers improved protection against 13 strains of pneumococcus bacteria. In 2017, GSK committed to sell PCV13 at a price of US$ 5 per dose in low- and middle-income countries until 2030. This price is much lower than the current list price for PCV13, which is US$ 35 per dose.
The introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines has been successful in reducing the incidence and mortality from pneumococcal disease in developed countries. However, these vaccines are still not widely used in developing countries due to their high cost and lack of government policies or programs to subsidy their use. In order for conjugate pneumococal vaccines to have a similar impact in developing countries, it is essential that their costs are reduced and that more governments put policies and programs in place to promote their use.