Countries will get $150M worth of vaccines to fight diseases
Four major drug companies are giving $150 million worth of vaccines for troubled regions around the world to fight malaria, hepatitis B, polio and other diseases, the Associated Press reports.
The vaccines come from Merck, American Home Products Corp., SmithKline Beecham and Aventis, and will help troubled countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and other international regions, AP reports.
The announcement was to be made Thursday by President Clinton following a meeting with pharmaceutical and biotechnology executives, foundation leaders and and other health officials.
The drugmakers also were to pledge increased vaccine research and development efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Specifics of the donations include:
Merck will donate 1 million doses of a hepatitis B medicine over the next five years, valued at $100 million;
American Home Products is donating 10 million doses of a drug to protect children from a leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis;
SmithKline Beecham's malaria vaccine program is expected to be expanded, and the drugmaker expects to begin trials on African children next fall;
Aventis is donating 50 million doses of a polio vaccine in Africa. The donation is part of a joint effort by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to eliminate polio in warring African nations within five years.
Clinton is expected to ask Congress for $150 million for research and prevention programs in Africa. He was also scheduled to honor the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's $750 million contribution to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, a vaccine purchasing fund.
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