This week Luxembourg signed a contract with the pharmaceutical group Seqirus concerning the production and distribution of vaccines against the flu epidemic, along with 14 other member states of the European Commission who signed the same accord, guaranteeing access to vaccines at a competitive price in the event of a pandemic.
The group purchase of vaccines and medication against cross-border threats to health has thus become a reality for the EU.
For Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Étienne Schneider, this marks an important step. He praised the European Commission for its efforts in securing the stock of necessary vaccines for Luxembourg citizens. Due to the increase in participating members, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain, representing around half of the EU and European Commission, will be able to guarantee the availability of affordable vaccines in sufficient quantities through group purchasing.
Negotiations are ongoing with a different pharmaceutical supplier for a second set of contracts, which will allow amaximisation of immunisation cover in terms of specific member state needs.
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