Response to calls for transparency on South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine contracts

Ahead of a court hearing set for Tuesday July 25th surrounding whether South Africa’s government must release publicly its COVID-19 vaccine contracts, Transparency International Global Health Research Manager Tom Wright said:
The Health Justice Initiative’s case represents a crossroads in the fight against secrecy continuing to shroud global vaccine contracts.”
Our research established that a dismal six per cent of the contracts struck during the pandemic were officially disclosed. Ensuring fair pricing, accountability and equitable distribution of vaccines should take precedence over commercial confidentiality. This is particularly the case during a global health crisis, when lives are at stakes and large sums of public money involved.”
“The proposed new global agreement on pandemic preparedness must establish minimum standards for contract disclosure during emergencies and address structural barriers blocking freedom of information requests. This litigation can inject momentum into global reform, contributing to a more resilient global health system.”