Washington:
Members of America’s influential Congressional Hispanic Caucus have urged US President Joe Biden to advocate for vaccine cooperation with India to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a March 10 letter to Biden, the Texas and other (Spanish territories) delegates asked the government to direct the distribution of low-cost vaccines to low-income, low-vaccination countries to save millions of lives and end the global epidemic. pandemic.
The lawmakers urged the president to use the two vaccines resulting from collaborations between India and the US for global well-being and to end vaccine disparity through Corbevax and Covovax.
While the CORBEVAX vaccine is patent-free, another vaccine developed by US biotechnology company Novavax is in production in India and its export to the COVAX facility is planned.
“We believe the United States has a chance to defend these vaccines created by American expertise for countries where vaccine inequality is taking its toll on some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people,” the lawmakers wrote.
To this end, the US can work with like-minded countries to ensure an equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. We request that the White House consider using these vaccines in partnership with countries around the world, on a similar basis. way to the QUAD vaccine initiative and ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine,” they said.
The letter was signed by Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee and the Democratic Women’s Caucus; Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, House Judiciary and House Financial Services Committees; Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Congressman Jimmy Gomez, vice chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and House Committee on Ways and Means.
This letter complements those written by the Powerful Congressional Black Caucus, who praised the Indian government in its efforts to help Africa and the Caribbean.
The letter signed by Caucus Chair – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty also identified India as a key partner to end vaccine inequality in the developing world.
Other signatories to the letter were Congressman Michael San Nicolas, Juan Vargas, Jim Costa, Darren Soto, Ro Khanna and Linda Sanchez.
For over a year, Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and India’s diplomatic missions have focused on working with the US Congress, government, think tanks and industry to enhance India-US cooperation in field of vaccines.
Congress’ reach has led more than 100 members of the House of Representatives to back India’s proposal for a TRIPS waiver at the WTO for COVID-19 vaccines.
Specifically, there was also specific contact with key Caucus on the subject: Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Caucus on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
A letter from the chairmen of the three Caucus was also previously sent to President Biden, urging him to work with countries to end vaccine disparities.
Last month, the embassy hosted a roundtable on vaccines that included billionaire US business magnate Bill Gates, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan and Dr. Peter Hotez.
The case for cooperation between India and the US on vaccines for use in third countries was also made in a recent Houston Chronicle OpEd written by Ambassador Sandhu.
The lawmakers wrote that the CORBEVAX vaccine was recently granted an emergency use license by the Indian drug regulatory agency.
Vaccine manufacturer Biological E Limited now makes 100 million doses per month and has already sold 300 million doses to the Indian government, the letter said.
“India is a shining example of the immense international potential that CORBEVAX has for low- and middle-income countries.
“We will continue to ask the federal government and the G7 countries for help to co-develop this recombinant protein vaccine with new partners in resource-poor countries, and we will continue to ask the federal government and the G7 countries for help to co-develop this recombinant protein vaccine.” … with new partners in resource-poor countries and should submit CORBEVAX domestically,” the lawmakers said.
They also urged the Food and Drug Administration to consider reviewing the vaccine for emergency use.
“Waiting to support the use of this vaccine on an international scale would put millions of lives at risk, and we urge the government to support the use of CORBEVAX worldwide,” the lawmaker added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.)