Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine generated great anticipation in Mexico due to its upcoming commercialization.
Doses are expected to be available in pharmacies throughout the country starting in the second half of December. Alejandra Espinosa de los Monteros, director of Asofarma's Vaccine Business Unit, reported on this development on Ciro Gómez Leyva's newscast for Radio Fórmula.
Asofarma will be responsible for distributing the vaccine to authorized distributors, and the price is anticipated to be related to Mexican conditions, in contrast to costs in the United States, which range between two thousand and five thousand pesos per dose.
Alejandra Espinoza de los Monteros emphasized that prices in the United States cannot be used as a reference, since Mexican reality is different. The best price for the Mexican population is being evaluated, considering the country's conditions.
Regarding vaccine availability, it is expected to be available in pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. Although it was initially mentioned that it could require a prescription, there are clinics in pharmacies where doctors issue prescriptions after consultations and administer vaccines for other treatments.
In October, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his desire that Covid-19 vaccines not exceed 900 pesos, taking the cost of flu vaccines as a reference.
Ruy López Ridaura, general director of the National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control, suggested that the price could reach five thousand pesos, but the president insisted on setting a cap.
Zoé Robledo, director of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), compared the prices of flu vaccines (between 500 and 900 pesos) with expectations for Covid-19 vaccines.
The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) approved the sale of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in the private sector in Mexico.
These vaccines will be safe for use starting from six months of age. COFEPRIS emphasized that approvals were achieved in record time with rigorous technical analysis. Now, it is up to the pharmaceutical companies to report on costs and availability dates in private hospitals and clinics in Mexico.
Information from: Sdpnoticias
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