A flap has broken out between Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Doctors Without Borders over funding commitments for pneumonia vaccines at accessible prices for developing countries.
At issue is the cost of pneumococcal vaccines that Gavi helps countries purchase through a financing mechanism. Created nearly two decades ago, Gavi is a public-private partnership that acts as a bridge between drug makers and philanthropic groups in negotiating supplies for dozens of poor and developing countries.
Currently, the organization helps fund pneumococcal vaccines sold by Pfizer (PFE) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) at a cost of about $9 a child. But a third manufacturer, Serum Institute of India, recently announced it will make a vaccine available at $6 later this year, according to Doctors Without Borders, the nonprofit advocacy group.
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