Turkey could receive up to 4.5 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer by the end of March, with a number that could reach 30 million by the end of 2021, BioNTech co-founder and CEO said on Saturday , Uğur Şahin.
Şahin’s statements came a day after Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced last Friday that Turkey had reached an agreement with BioNTech to purchase 550,000 doses for the initial shipment, with the option to buy up to 30 million doses.
Announcing the deal on Twitter, Koca said the reason for the delay in the deal was said to be liability issues.
“The reason for the delay was the fact that the producer did not accept any responsibility for possible problems that could arise from production,” he said, adding that the disagreement was subsequently resolved.
“Citizens who want to get a dose will be asked for informed consent,” Koca said.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Şahin said he was happy to sign an agreement that would allow him to help his homeland. Şahin was born in the southeastern Turkish province of Iskenderun in 1965, before moving to Germany when he was 4 years old.
Explaining the details of the agreement, Şahin said that the logistics of the agreement and the training of the health workers who will perform the inoculations were the priority for the first part of the delivery of the vaccine, 550,000 doses.
The BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine should be shipped and stored at less than 70 degrees Celsius, the type of temperature typical of an Antarctic winter. Combined with orders reaching millions of doses, the vaccine poses unprecedented logistical problems for many countries.
“This amount will arrive in Turkey at the end of the year. First, we need to prepare for logistics. What are the possible side effects of the vaccine, the allergic reaction for example, what should be done? “We need to share all this information correctly. We need health workers to be prepared, we want vaccines to be done safely,” he said.
“We expect to send 30 million doses by the end of 2021. We plan to send 4.5 million doses by the end of March, as these vaccines are needed worldwide. We want to administer these doses fairly. Hopefully, by the end of next year we will be able to administer the 30 million doses we agreed on, ”Şahin told an AA journalist.
Speaking of possible other offers exceeding the 30 million dose deal, Şahin said it would depend on availability.
“We want to produce around 1 billion doses in collaboration with Pfizer next year. We need to deliver these vaccines to 80 countries. As long as we have the doses, we would be more than willing to provide more in Turkey,” he said. .
But he warned that vaccine production was a complex process and that the real goal of reaching 1.3 billion doses could require cooperation with other companies.
“We will start working with other companies again. If we can carry out our plans on how to increase capacity, we can disclose it in January or February. I think we can increase it. We don’t have a guaranteed plan yet. “
Liability and side effects
Regarding the liability issues that delayed the agreement before the agreement was reached, Şahin thanked Koca for the help the minister provided during the negotiations, as he explained that the disagreement was about the desire of the company to limit liability in case of a lawsuit due to side effects.
“We are dealing with the same terms for all countries. Europe, the United States, Japan all had the same standards. Limited liability is determining how much responsibility can be taken on our company, ”he said, adding that the demands used to be exorbitant sums that could bankrupt a company.
“When you do something, people can sue you for it. You know it too, they can state “this or that happened”. When that happens, we are left helpless because there may be demands that demand billions. It makes our lives harder. We have created a safe vaccine for people. But that doesn’t mean we’re safe from lawsuits. That’s why we need certain limits to protect the company, ”Şahin explained.
According to Şahin, about 1.5 million people have already been inoculated with the mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine found by his company and no serious side effects have yet been reported.
The most common side effects of the vaccine are headache, fatigue, pain in the arm that received the vaccine, and fever in rare cases. Şahin said all side effects usually go away in two days.
The most serious side effect, however, is an allergic reaction, which occurs 30 minutes after inoculation and at a rate of 1 in 50,000 people.
“An allergic reaction can occur in the first 30 minutes after receiving the shot. Therefore, medical staff should be nearby for 30 minutes. This could be the only significant side effect, ”Şahin said.
Caution is still essential
As countries around the world prepared for the monumental task of vaccinating their population, as some nations had already begun, the hope flourished that life would soon return to normal after a long year under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.
But Şahin warns that precautions should remain for a while longer, at least until 70% of vaccination rates are reached among the populations.
“Our vaccines will not be able to stop infections in the winter. People must continue to act with discipline, protect themselves and others. Vaccines will go first for seniors and health workers. We can protect them, ”he said.
Recalling that Turkey also signed an agreement with Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac for 50 million doses, Şahin said it was key to reach a threshold in the number of people vaccinated before returning to normal.
“We have to vaccinate 70% of the people. If you get it before next winter arrives, we will be able to return to a normal life. It is vital to remain disciplined, ”he said.
On Turkey’s agreement with Sinovac, Şahin said it was a good step by Turkey towards getting enough doses to reach the 70% threshold.
“China’s vaccine also shows its effectiveness. I think it’s about 85% or 86% effective. It can be considered an effective and good vaccine. You shouldn’t worry if a vaccine comes from BioNTech, China or any other government. Chinese scientists have developed this vaccine after a long experimentation and clinical trial. The important thing is for Turkey to produce the required number of doses, ”Şahin said.
Although Şahin cited an 85% efficiency rate for the Sinovac vaccine, Turkey said on Thursday it was 91.25% effective according to provisional data from a final-phase trial involving 7,371 volunteers.
With an initial shipment of 3 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine arriving in Turkey on Monday, about 9 million people will be vaccinated in the first stage, starting with health workers and people at risk.
According to Dr. Serhat Ünal, an expert on infectious diseases who is part of the scientific advisory committee of Coronavirus in Turkey, no significant side effects were detected during vaccine trials in Turkey, except in a case where an allergic reaction was observed. .
Sinovac has also signed supply agreements for its vaccine with countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and negotiations with the Philippines and Malaysia are underway.
Office in Turkey
Aside from BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine, Şahin said the company is involved in other branches of research and announced that the company was in talks to open a branch in Turkey.
“We bring our products to Turkey for the first time. We also want to investigate in Turkey. We are in talks with the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBITAK). We are also in contact with various professors from various universities. We want to establish a BioNTech branch in Turkey, ”he said.
“We want to carry out research on cancer in Turkey, apart from our work on vaccines for infectious diseases. Hopefully, we will start conducting clinical studies on cancer in Turkey next summer. We have plans. We want to achieve that. “
Şahin said the company’s long-term goal was to open several offices throughout Turkey and conduct research and development studies. But life must return to normal first, he warned.
“We want to work with Turkish universities and companies. In the first year, we could carry out three projects and get them out of there if we succeed ”.
Şahin once again urged people not to give up precautions.
“We must avoid endangering others or our loved ones. Help is on its way. It will be here for the summer. We need a patient. We hope to have a chance to get back to our normal lives by the end of next summer. Then we will celebrate our success together. “