15 JUL 2021 . 1PM CET

Since the beginning of the pandemic, governments have spent at least €93 billion on COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics globally. This money went into the coffers of pharmaceutical companies. But, which interests were defended? Those of profit, or those of public health?

To better answer this question, The Left commissioned a study to analyze the different agreements that pharmaceutical companies signed with the European Commission and other institutions.

The study carried out by Medicine Law & Policy, a research group working in the public interest, analyses five contracts: Eu-AstraZeneca, Eu-CureVac, Eu-Moderna, Uk-AstraZeneca, and Us-Moderna. Although most of the documents are heavily redacted, the comparative analysis allows drawing important conclusions and it shows that the European Commission was not able – unlike other institutions – to secure advantageous clauses.

To find out more, The Left is happy to invite you to the launch event of the study. Thursday the 15th of July (13.00 – 14.30)  MEPs Silvia Modig and Katerina Konecna will be joined by Ellen t’Hoen LLM Phd (ML&P, author of the study), Olivier Hoedeman (CEO), Yannis Natsis (EPHA) to present and comment on the findings of the study.

The event will be in English, with French and Spanish interpretation.

To register for the online event click here

Programme

Thursday, 15th of July 2021, 13.00 – 14.30 on Zoom

Welcome and opening remarks, Silvia Modig MEP, ENVI Coordinator for the Left

Presentation of the study by the author, Ellen t’Hoen LLM PHD, Researcher, MLP 

Intervention, Olivier Hoedeman,  Research and Campaign coordinator, CEO 

Intervention, Yannis Natsis, Policy manager, EPHA 

Discussion with participants

Conclusions, Kateřina Konečná MEP, The Left group health expert