The White House and federal health officials debate sending millions of AstraZeneca doses overseas, while the US government awaits a safety clearance for the vaccine.
Senior officials told The New York Times There has been intense debate among US officials over the fate of tens of millions of vaccine doses from the British-Swedish company standing in manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Maryland amid pleas from other countries that have already approved it for use.
Some officials claim the stock should go overseas, while others are unwilling to give it up, sources told the Times.
AstraZeneca was also involved in the discussions, and the company reported on occasions when it urged the US to take into account requests from other countries.
“We understand that other governments may have contacted the US government about donating AstraZeneca doses, and we have asked the US government to carefully consider these requests,” Gonzalo Viña, an AstraZeneca spokesperson, told the US. Times.
The company has asked Biden’s administration to send the doses to the European Union (EU), but an official told the Times the administration has since refused.
The Times reported that some federal officials have pushed the government to make the decision in the coming weeks. Some have suggested sending the doses to Brazil, where the coronavirus continues to devastate the population.
AstraZeneca vaccines are not approved in the US, and the company has not yet filed for emergency use approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The Times report comes after Italy, with support from the European Commission, reportedly blocked shipping of AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia after the company allegedly failed to deliver the requested amount of doses to the EU.
Results from the Phase three study of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the US should come out in the coming weeks, but it’s not clear how soon after the results the vaccine would be approved for use.
The Hill has reached out to AstraZeneca and the White House for comment.