Gov’t earmarks $1.38 bi for purchase of Janssen and Pfizer vaccines

Brazil’s Ministry of Health on Monday (Mar. 16) published in an extra issue of the country’s Official Gazette, two statements waiving the bidding process for the purchase of vaccines against COVID-19 from laboratories Janssen Pharmaceutica and Pfizer. The total amount earmarked for the operation is $1.38 billion, $380 million of which for Janssen, $1 billion for Pfizer.

The vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical company Pfizer in partnership with German biotechnology firm BioNtech is the only with a definitive register granted by Brazil’s sanitary regulator Anvisa. The Johnson & Jonhson vaccine has no emergency register, but, since it was approved by the World Health Organization, it may be used in Brazil, in compliance with new legislation now effective in the country.