Thread by @bopanc

Some facts on EU vaccine procurement:
1. The EU only ordered 200m doses from @BioNTech_Group & @pfizer on *November 11,* when it was already behind in the queue (the US ordered on July 22). The EU *refused* an offer to order 500m doses.

2. Despite the BioNTech/Pfizer jab winning the global race, the EU stuck to 200m. On November 17 however it ordered 400m doses from CureVac, German firm that hadn't even started Phase3 trial. Only on *December 29* did the EU order additional 100m, again trailing the US

3. Data indicating that BioNTech/Pfizer were ahead of the pack emerged already in July. On *October 6* the EU regulator EMA started a rolling review based on extremely promising late-stage trial data, which was obviously available to EU officials wsj.com/articles/germa…

4. As a result of this strategy, the EU is left with only 300m doses (to be delivered by late this year *if* all goes well) of the first vaccine developed on its soil. For a population of ~450m. Earlier orders - by the US etc - will be delivered first.

5. EU, normally fond of subsidies, failed to muster a joint vaccine effort that would support its industry. @BioNTech_Group only got €50m in loans and some €9m in grants (over 10 years). Germany stepped in with €375m. In contrast, the US poured €18bn into OperationWarpspeed

6. There’s reporting - which has been denied by the Commission - that the EU didn’t order more doses from Germany’s BioNTech because they wanted to balance the sheet with orders from France’s Sanofi. That seems rather implausible: the EU then ordered 400m from Germany’s CureVac

7. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the companies themselves were puzzled by the EU procurement strategy

https://twitter.com/bopanc/status/1345091003955470342

8. Meanwhile, EU’s regulator is seemingly having issues with authorising the Moderna vaccine, of which the bloc ordered 80m. A decision was expected today but it has been postponed

9. The BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine has a 6th, extra dose in the vial. That’s millions of extra doses. The use of that extra dose has been approved by the US, Britain, Switzerland - but not the EU. The EU is taking its time to decide.

https://twitter.com/vkjudit/status/1346858789761380354

10. The EU went from “we have more than enough doses” to “we are buying up to 300 million extra doses from BioNTech-Pfizer” in a matter of days. Following outrage in the German media.

https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1347468965732360192