Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers
(1) Objectives: Inequality in the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has brought about great challenges in terms of resolving the pandemic. Although vaccine manufacturers are undoubtedly some of the most influential players, studies on their role in global vaccine distribution have been scarce...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/10/1183 |
| _version_ | 1797512976688742400 |
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| author | Meekang Sung Yangmu Huang Yuqi Duan Fangjing Liu Yinzi Jin Zhijie Zheng |
| author_facet | Meekang Sung Yangmu Huang Yuqi Duan Fangjing Liu Yinzi Jin Zhijie Zheng |
| author_sort | Meekang Sung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Objectives: Inequality in the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has brought about great challenges in terms of resolving the pandemic. Although vaccine manufacturers are undoubtedly some of the most influential players, studies on their role in global vaccine distribution have been scarce. This study examined whether the pharmaceutical industry is acting according to the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the pandemic. (2) Methods: Three categories were used to analyze the CSR of vaccine developers. The first was research and development: effectiveness, funding, and profits were measured. The second was transparency and accountability: the transparency of clinical trials and vaccine contracts was analyzed. The final was vaccine delivery: the status of the provision of vaccines to COVAX and lower-income countries, intellectual property management, manufacturing agreements, and equitable pricing were measured. (3) Results: Vaccine developers have acquired large profits. The vaccine delivery category faces the most challenges. Participation of pharmaceutical companies through COVAX was significantly low, and most vaccine supply agreements were secretive, bilateral deals. It was not clear if companies were maintaining equitable pricing. The evaluation indicated that the companies’ CSR practices have differed during the pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Our study contributes to the methodology of assessing the CSR of vaccine developers. This would help understand the current COVID-19 vaccine distribution inequality and propose that pharmaceutical companies re-examine their roles and social responsibilities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:09:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-257e2b4132894e2f93a82a82e4c44a18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:09:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-257e2b4132894e2f93a82a82e4c44a182023-11-22T20:16:33ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2021-10-01910118310.3390/vaccines9101183Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine DevelopersMeekang Sung0Yangmu Huang1Yuqi Duan2Fangjing Liu3Yinzi Jin4Zhijie Zheng5College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro 38-gil, Seoul 08826, KoreaDepartment of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100191, ChinaDepartment of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100191, ChinaDepartment of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100191, ChinaDepartment of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100191, ChinaDepartment of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100191, China(1) Objectives: Inequality in the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has brought about great challenges in terms of resolving the pandemic. Although vaccine manufacturers are undoubtedly some of the most influential players, studies on their role in global vaccine distribution have been scarce. This study examined whether the pharmaceutical industry is acting according to the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the pandemic. (2) Methods: Three categories were used to analyze the CSR of vaccine developers. The first was research and development: effectiveness, funding, and profits were measured. The second was transparency and accountability: the transparency of clinical trials and vaccine contracts was analyzed. The final was vaccine delivery: the status of the provision of vaccines to COVAX and lower-income countries, intellectual property management, manufacturing agreements, and equitable pricing were measured. (3) Results: Vaccine developers have acquired large profits. The vaccine delivery category faces the most challenges. Participation of pharmaceutical companies through COVAX was significantly low, and most vaccine supply agreements were secretive, bilateral deals. It was not clear if companies were maintaining equitable pricing. The evaluation indicated that the companies’ CSR practices have differed during the pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Our study contributes to the methodology of assessing the CSR of vaccine developers. This would help understand the current COVID-19 vaccine distribution inequality and propose that pharmaceutical companies re-examine their roles and social responsibilities.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/10/1183corporate social responsibilityCOVID-19vaccinesglobal healthCOVAXpharmaceutical companies |
| spellingShingle | Meekang Sung Yangmu Huang Yuqi Duan Fangjing Liu Yinzi Jin Zhijie Zheng Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers Vaccines corporate social responsibility COVID-19 vaccines global health COVAX pharmaceutical companies |
| title | Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers |
| title_full | Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers |
| title_fullStr | Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers |
| title_short | Pharmaceutical Industry’s Engagement in the Global Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines: Corporate Social Responsibility of EUL Vaccine Developers |
| title_sort | pharmaceutical industry s engagement in the global equitable distribution of covid 19 vaccines corporate social responsibility of eul vaccine developers |
| topic | corporate social responsibility COVID-19 vaccines global health COVAX pharmaceutical companies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/10/1183 |
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