On December 1, 2025, Global Health Advocates (GHA) and a coalition of 28 partner NGOs addressed an open letter to the European Commission, calling for the immediate publication of the vaccine supply agreement between HERA and Bavarian Nordic. As the world faces the mpox challenge, the signatories demand that public interest and global access remain at the heart of EU health emergency responses.
The recent agreement to supply up to eight million doses of the MVA-BN vaccine is a crucial step for pandemic preparedness. However, the lack of transparency regarding the terms of this contract raises serious concerns. Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, GHA and its partners warn that contract secrecy fuels unfair price disparities and undermines public trust in EU institutions.
In the letter addressed to Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and Director-General Fink-Hooijer, the signatories urge HERA to:
- Make the agreement public: Citizens have a right to know how EU funds are used and under what conditions.
- Guarantee affordability: Transparency is the only way to ensure fair pricing and prevent private interests from taking precedence over public health.
- Enable global production: Rather than relying on donations alone, HERA must include clauses that facilitate technology transfers and socially responsible licensing to allow manufacturing in developing countries.
For GHA, this is not just about one contract, but about the future governance of the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). We call for:
- Strict accountability: Incorporating clear transparency safeguards in all future R&D and procurement contracts.
- Global Equity: Ensuring that any medical tool supported by EU funds is accessible and affordable worldwide.
- Democratic Governance: Involving civil society and healthcare professionals in the decision-making process.
The EU has a unique opportunity to lead by example. By prioritising the public interest over the pretext of commercial confidentiality, HERA can ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
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