Equitable and Effective Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccines - A Scientific and Moral Obligation.

The rapid development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines has not been met with the assurance of an effective and equitable global distribution mechanism. Low-income countries are especially at-risk, with the price of the vaccines and supply shortages limiting their ability to procure and distribute the vaccines. While the COVAX initiative is one of the solutions to these challenges, vaccine nationalism has resulted in the hoarding of vaccines and the signing of parallel bilateral deals, undermining this formerly promising initiative. Moreover, inequity in local distribution also remains a problem, with clear discrimination of minorities and lack of logistical preparation in some countries. As we continue to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, pharmaceutical companies should share their technology to increase supply and reduce prices, governments should prioritize equitable distribution to the most at-risk in all nations and low-income countries should bolster their logistical capacity in preparation for mass vaccination campaigns.

Time for the ethical management of COVID-19 vaccines.

The ethical distribution of life-saving medical and public health interventions to vulnerable groups has often been overlooked. Valuation of life linked to an individual's country of origin, the pharmaceutical industry's prioritisation of profit, the exploitation of vulnerable groups in clinical trials, and the resulting hesitancy towards drugs and vaccines have, among other factors, made the human right to health unattainable for many people. The COVID-19 pandemic presents itself as an opportunity to reverse this long-standing trajectory of unethical practices in global health. By ensuring the ethical inclusion of vulnerable groups in the vaccine development process and making a safe, effective vaccine accessible to all, pharmaceutical companies, governments, and international organisations can usher in a new era of global health that relies solely on ethical decision making.