Anti-tobacco groups praise WHO rejection of Medicago vaccine

Anti-tobacco organisations in Bangladesh have applauded World Health Organization (WHO) for rejecting the Covid-19 vaccine produced by multinational tobacco company Phillip Morris and urged the Bangladesh government to follow suit.

The Covid vaccine manufactured by Canadian company Medicago was rejected by World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 2, 2022 from inclusion in the list of emergency use due to the company's association with the tobacco company, said a statement of Progga. Medicago which produced the vaccine in collaboration with the Canadian government is partially owned by Phillip Morris, adds the statement.

Discussants at a virtual meeting on the issue said to help combat the Covid-19 outbreak, Canada has already provided Bangladesh with AstraZeneca vaccines, a gesture which was highly appreciated. However, this is not same for Medicago vaccine and such donations should be rejected.

This vaccine is not approved by WHO and as a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), accepting the Covid antidote will be a violation of the FCTC Article 5.3 for Bangladesh.

In order to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, there should be no negotiation with a company that is behind another pandemic- tobacco. Speakers the meeting also opined that WHO has already approved nine vaccines so far that are free from tobacco industry association and Bangladesh has accepted these WHO-approved vaccines as well.

Bangladesh should also collaborate with international platform Covax in future to meet its vaccine needs.

Representatives from the anti-tobacco organizations, including Bangladesh Cancer Society, TABINAJ, AID Foundation, BNTTP, TCRC, National Heart Foundation, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Voice, MANAS, Progga, STOP, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Vital Strategies and The Union took part in the meeting.

doulot_akter@yahoo.com