Fourth contract ensuring access to a potential COVID-19 vaccine

19 November 2020

Denmark has entered into a fourth contract with a vaccine manufacturer that will ensure the delivery of vaccines for COVID-19; the contract is signed by the European Commission on behalf of the EU member states. The contract means that about 2 million people can be vaccinated against coronavirus, provided the vaccine is approved by the authorities.

Denmark has just entered into a fourth contract with a potential supplier of vaccines for COVID-19; the contract was signed by the European Commission on 11 November. The contract, which has been concluded with BioNTech/Pfizer, means that 2 million people in Denmark can be vaccinated if the vaccine is approved.

So far, the European Commission has signed contracts on vaccines with a total of four vaccine manufacturers that include the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines for Denmark.

Objective: Vaccines enough for everyone

Altogether, the four contracts mean that Denmark can theoretically purchase vaccines for 11.8 million people as follows:

  • Astra Zeneca: about 2.6 million vaccines
  • Sanofi-GSK: about 2 million vaccines
  • Johnson & Johnson: about 5.2 million vaccines
  • BioNTech/Pfizer: about 2 million vaccines

However, this is only theoretically since it is neither certain that all vaccines are authorised nor that all options are exercised.

The European Commission is, on behalf of the EU member states, proceeding with negotiations with several other vaccine manufacturers to secure the supply of vaccines. This is to ensure that there will be enough vaccines for everyone in case one or more of the vaccines cannot be authorised.

Read more:

Press release from the European Commission of 11 November 2020: Commission approves contract with BioNTech-Pfizer alliance to ensure access to a potential vaccine.

16 October: News on the website of the Danish Medicines Agency: Five million people can be vaccinated with the third COVID-19 vaccine contract alone (in Danish only).

21 September (25 September in English): News on the website of the Danish Medicines Agency: Second contract ensures access to a potential vaccine for COVID-19.

14 August: News on the website of the Danish Medicines Agency: First contract on the supply of potential vaccine for COVID-19 (in Danish only).

Theme on the DKMA website: Vaccines and medicines for treatment of COVID-19.

Read more in the European Commission’s coronavirus vaccines strategy.