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Fewer people to get Pfizer vaccine in Japan due to syringe shortage

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commencing vaccinations of around 36 million people aged 65 and older from April.

I would like to see a full list of developed nations to see their vaccination numbers to date. Would Japan be bottom?. They move glacierly slow.

24 ( +29 / -5 )

The government is set to discuss with Pfizer how many more doses it can supply to Japan, a senior health ministry official said.

This what happened when try to put effort to make Olympic happen, less effort for secure enough vaccine.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

What the heck were they doing until now? They had so much time to prepare adequate number of syringes and they failed to even do this. Japan’s vaccination procedure would definitely be ranked at the bottom in comparison to other developed countries...come to think of it, it might even be worst than some developing countries!

30 ( +32 / -2 )

You'd think they could have thought of these problems much earlier.

23 ( +24 / -1 )

Bad planning?

14 ( +15 / -1 )

It's primary school math. Why didn't Japan purchased syringes for this? In the Japanese newspapers is claimed that the vials are of "special size". No! As always, it's Japan that avoided adapting to an internationally recognized standard, simply because it makes it easier to practice protectionism. Let's do another simple, primary school math exercise and calculate how many people in some third world country will be killed because they can't get access to the vaccine Japan will be throwing away.

18 ( +20 / -2 )

People around the world are scrambling for this life saving vaccine and Japan is going to throw away every 6th one just because somebody didn't think that they needed a different type of syringe! This is why I keep telling people Japan has one of the worst medical systems in the world. They are so insulated from the rest of the medical world!

15 ( +18 / -3 )

get more syringes?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

This what happened when try to put effort to make Olympic happen, less effort for secure enough vaccine.

Actually that is what happens when both the EU and the USA block exports of the vaccine.

You either end up waiting to negotiate like Japan or you end up running around paying anyone you can to some how get some vaccine and end up with 400 million doses purchased and next to nothing delivered like Canada did.

-12 ( +6 / -18 )

seriously? Are you kidding me?

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Initially, Pfizer recommendation was for five doses, not six.

So why Japan made over optimistic calculations ?

No need to vaccine the whole population anyway. If you don not have enough vaccines, medical staff, elderlies plus the ones with medical issues, then it should be some herd immunity. I give my shot for free.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Fewer people to get Pfizer vaccine

This title is misleading.

Initially it was planned for 60, not 72 , millions. Some countries started with 5 doses, then extract 6 doses , but it did not work well, so went back to 5.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

"I would like to see a full list of developed nations to see their vaccination numbers to date. Would Japan be bottom?"

yes it would be.

But I would also like to see a full list of of developed nations to see their covid 19 deaths to date. Would Japan be at the bottom?

?????

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

I would like to see a full list of developed nations to see their vaccination numbers to date. Would Japan be bottom?. They move glacierly slow.

The thing that astounds me is that Japan got a very early warning regarding Convid-19 with the Diamond Princess cruise ship. So why is Japan so far behind.

19 ( +22 / -3 )

LOL at the comments, maybe you to read the article:

Reuters reported last month that the United States and European Union countries have also been scrambling to secure enough low dead space syringes to squeeze more doses

-16 ( +5 / -21 )

One word. Incompetence

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Funny that the J govenment would tell the world about this problem. Strange for a country that has been accused of funny numbers and not being transparent to be honest and open about a problem.

-15 ( +5 / -20 )

@HimariYamada

But I would also like to see a full list of of developed nations to see their covid 19 deaths to date.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Would Japan be at the bottom?

Not even close.

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

Japan is unlikely to inoculate as many people with Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine as planned due to a shortage of special syringes

Who cares that 1/6 of each vaccine is going to be wasted in the middle of a global pandemic when vaccine availability is highly limited and it's of paramount importance to get people vaccinated so the whole economy doesn't collapse.

Don't worry though, trillions of yen has been spent on making sure the Olympics can go ahead.

Priorities people.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Funny that the J govenment would tell the world about this problem. Strange for a country that has been accused of funny numbers and not being transparent to be honest and open about a problem.

I presume if this is what they are transparently and openly saying, then the actual problem is worse. I base that presumption on years of experience. For example - 'the reactors haven't melted down', 'I can promise the IOC it's all under control' etc.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I would like to see a full list of developed nations to see their vaccination numbers to date. Would Japan be bottom?

Yes they would be at the bottom even on a list of all countries on Earth. No country on Earth is as slow and behind as Japan, probably because they are focusing on the condom issue and the embarrassing condom sizes!

16 ( +20 / -4 )

The thing that astounds me is that Japan got a very early warning regarding Convid-19 with the Diamond Princess cruise ship. So why is Japan so far behind.

Multiple reasons and j gov opaque nature makes it harder to understand.

But the main reason is intellectual property rights/patented technology.

The big guys long ago cornered the market on the mRNA technology and other methods needed to produce a viable coronal type virus vaccine.

So only those companies actually could in the end create them.

So Japan, Canada, Australia, NZ, South Korea, etc... Are at the mercy of a few companies all located in the EU or USA.

And as well reported the USA and EU have done their best to block exports even to countries like Japan and Canada which paid into the Covax system ( this paid for AZ vaccine development) but none has seen a single dose.

So j gov has some blame but the real problem is the EU and USA.

I will repeat this, Canada paid $ 400 million to get $ 200 million in AZ vaccine even before it existed ( the other $200 million for poor countries) and hasn't seen a single dose, on top of that it has ordered a total of 400 million doses in a crazy effort to somehow get something and other than the one shipment of Pfizer recieved before the USA blocked exports, Canada hasn't see a single vaccine.

I suspect Japan is finding itself in a similar situation.

Australia is saying it will wait because of allergic reactions concerns but is that true, or is that a way of avoiding saying it to will not get any of the vaccine it already ordered and paid for.

Japan could make whatever schedule it wants, have all the syringes it needs but until the EU let's Japan have it's paid for vaccine it is all a moot point.

It is more likely that domestic production of AZ under license will be supplying before any significant amount of imported vaccine gets here if the EU and USA continue their little games.

-16 ( +3 / -19 )

If these syringes were essential for the Olympics Japan would have warehouses full of them quicker than you could say “screwed up priority decisions”.

21 ( +21 / -0 )

If these syringes were essential for the Olympics Japan would have warehouses full of them quicker than you could say “screwed up priority decisions”.

And that would do what?

The EU and USA have been blocking exports of the vaccine so Japan could have a hundred times the needed syringes and it would do literally nothing as long as Japan hasn't gotten vaccine shipments which as we just learned the EU has very reluctantly OKed yesterday and not even the full amount purchased.

It is like saying Japan has the need for 1 million cars and only has 500,000 but no gasoline for even one car.

-22 ( +0 / -22 )

I honestly think Japanese politicians have zero interest in this vaccine because it wasn’t made in Japan. They are secretly hoping that washing hands and Japanese “mindo’ will be enough to carry them through this.

Sort of true but not.

Japan paid into Covax with 2 options one to receive vaccine the other to get licensing to produce.

Japan took its option to produce seeing no Vaccine was being permitted to be exported.

Unfortunately AZ is playing some sort of game and despite being the only company to have actually gone through all the testing in Japan it still hasn't officially applied for approval.

Which means despite having the right to produce the vaccine locally, no one can until AZ gets approval which will not happen unless AZ asks for it.

Some very strange things going on.

Is AZ trying to get more money from Japan than the pre vaccine Covax deal got them?

I don't know but Japan is not the only country wondering where it's paid for vaccine is.

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

Priorities? Kid you not: There is ‘shortage of syringes’ but a ‘surplus of condoms’?

Is it factible to apply the Pfizer topically?

we can repurpose the condoms.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Seems many here don't like facts.

Japan announced the purchase of Pfizer vaccine, then Moderna vaccine then the AZ deal.

But hasn't received even a single dose.

The reason was made clear in the previous article about the EU just now permitting a partial export of Japan's order for Pfizer.

The rest still nothing, still no approval to export.

So explain how is Japan supposed to tell us when the vaccination will start when only the EU knows if and when it will let Japan have it's ordered and paid for vaccine?

All the syringes in the world will not help if we have no Vaccine.

Ask Canada about that, it had the schedule, the equipment, the locations all set up but no vaccine delivery since the initial one from the USA before they also blocked exports.

Has Japan handled this well? No, but let's face it the EU and USA vaccine export blocking is the real problem.

-11 ( +8 / -19 )

Poor planning after Trump announced Warp Speed is not an excuse. Everyone knew the vaccine would eventually be developed. Planning should have started in January 2020. In the next election, vote for any body other than the present office holder. It needs to be done in every country so that nobody can just apologize and stay in office. Will it be done by the electorate? NO

14 ( +16 / -2 )

@Noriyon73

Actually Japan did plan, it paid into Covax but seeing the EU has blocked exports Japan hasn't seen any Vaccine and AZ for some strange reason hasn't applied for approval despite having done all the testing in Japan.

That last part needs to be explained by AZ.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

To the down voters.

Instead of down votes why not explain how Japan is going to vaccinate with any type of syringe if the EU and USA block exports to Japan?

Why not explain why AZ that has fully tested it's vaccine in Japan not applied for approval and let Japan produce the vaccine under the previously agreed licensing?

How is more syringes, a set schedule and date for vaccination going to help if even the Japanese government doesn't know when the EU will approve the next shipment or even if it will approve anymore?

Sure I don't think Japan has handled this well but considering how the EU and USA are acting I also don't see how the J Gov is supposed to make any concrete plans.

-22 ( +3 / -25 )

At this rate, most of Africa will haven't completed their vaccinations before Japan. It's one problem after another.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

China is laughing all the way to their syringe factories. So much for Japanese empty rhetorics of decoupling!

21 ( +23 / -2 )

so, in other words, the j-government hasn't been preparing anything since the beginning of the pandemic.

19 ( +19 / -0 )

China is laughing all the way to their syringe factories. So much for Japanese empty rhetorics of decoupling!

Definitely. The world bet on the wrong horse with China, and now it is very difficult to reverse.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

blackflagcitizen:

so, in other words, the j-government hasn't been preparing anything since the beginning of the pandemic.

That's not true. They've had plenty of meetings and conferences, and also drills. It's quite difficult to focus on the health of the nation when the Olympics is the most important thing. Priorities, please.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

@Antiquesaving

Perhaps one of the reason of your downvoting is your partiality. First you kept forgetting UK in your list of countries. Then you put all the blame on countries not the company.

What we know is that there are problem with production plant at least in Europe, thus a reduction of the vaccine production.

What we know is that Europe (other producing place too) for increasing production and is going to pay more to continue increase the production.

What we know is that Pfizzer cut vaccine supply to Europe by 60% because of the production problem and had no plan to redirect part of its outside production toward Europe to cover up the loss linked to the production shortage by its supplier european plant.

What we know is Europe getting really pissed and requesting Pfizzer to share fairly the impact of the reducted production capacity to all the countries to be supplied.

What it seems like is that Europe plan is the one going to supply Japan.

Do you really think the problem is Europe or more like Pfizzer not being fair (and potentially countries provided by other plan refusing to share the burden) ?

Let make a simple example (just illustrating there is obviously non equality in reality) :

A company got 3 supply plants which can produce 1000 units of something. These 3000 units are to be shared by 30 customers equally thus 100 by customers. And they go with each plant providing 10 customers.

Now imagine, one of the plant fall under and only produce 800 units. Should all the 30 customers be impacted ? or only the unlucky 10 which got assigned to the plant suffering production trouble ?

And if the problem were to occur in several plant would it be fair if the company was to kept the 100 units for some but cut it only for others ?

19 ( +20 / -1 )

Thank you for the posts @Antiquesaving, most informative.

Some very strange things going on.

I just hope the vaccine is not being used as leverage for political concessions.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

Fewer people to get Pfizer vaccine in Japan due to syringe shortage

As long as it is not made by China, I'll take a vaccine made by any country.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

I am getting real tired of this ‘pandemic’

-17 ( +2 / -19 )

First you kept forgetting UK in your list of countries. 

I also left out Mexico, Turkey, and a whole host of countries, what make the UK so special that I needed to include it.

But if you insist, the UK has its own production capabilities and AZ was developed partially in the UK and as far as I know that is already being produced locally but NOT exported.

Then you put all the blame on countries not the company.

Guess you missed this:

"Why not explain why AZ that has fully tested it's vaccine in Japan not applied for approval and let Japan produce the vaccine under the previously agreed licensing?"

Do you really think the problem is Europe or more like Pfizzer not being fair.

If it was only Pfizer then maybe but it is also Moderna and AZ.

Covax paid for AZ Canada put up more money than any other place being only second to the EU a collection of 28 countries and despite that has seen zero vaccines.

And that is only because bthe EU has blocked everything not the company in that case,

Oh for sure the companies are partially to blame but it is the EU and the USA that get the most, they are the ones withholding the vaccine others have already paid for including Japan, Canada, etc.. because these other countries paid into the development of AZ via Covax which now has given them nothing in return other than the EU benefiting from the vaccine and the money put in by others.

-13 ( +0 / -13 )

Can these clowns get anything right? Not exactly a new problem to deal with..

14 ( +14 / -0 )

If Japan u derstood free trade concepts then needles could be here in a week-plenty of time as there is no vaccine rollout schedule yet!

13 ( +14 / -1 )

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

And that means nothing, not point no medical or scientific meaning.

I drive dailyand a lot haven't had an accident doesn't mean there are no car accidents and I will be driving later. It is about as relevant as your point.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

I am getting real tired of this ‘pandemic’

Lucky you. Just because you haven’t personally experienced it doesn’t make it any less real or less infectious. I hope your good fortune continues.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

If Japan u derstood free trade concepts then needles could be here in a week-plenty of time as there is no vaccine rollout schedule yet!

How can there be a schedule when Japan like many other non EU countries with orders placed and payments made, has no idea when or even if the EU will let Japan have it's purchased Vaccines?

-15 ( +0 / -15 )

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses. Those are the only thing Japan has an abundance in.

Wait, scapegoats and outdated ideas. Forgot about those........

11 ( +12 / -1 )

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

Lucky you.

Sure you haven't been infected?

Not everyone shows symptoms.

You could have felt just fine, while spreading droplets all around.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

If Japan u derstood free trade concepts then needles could be here in a week-plenty of time as there is no vaccine rollout schedule yet!

Ask Canada how that worked out.

It had a schedule, the equipment, etc...it all amounted to nothing because both the EU and USA blocked it's Vaccine delivery, Canada has a nice schedule but no Vaccine, so pointless having a schedule in that case.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

I am guessing a lot here love blaming the J gov but really don't like being told their precious EU and USA are the ones holding back Japan's and other countries Vaccines supplies.

Well sorry that is the Truth it was even pointed out here in articles and in many other non EU countries.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

@Antiquesaving

Astra is doing the same that Pfizzer. They are not able to make as much vaccine that promised thus try to redirect product to supply only part of their customer instead of trying to renegociate contract.

The issue involve Europe and UK. It is why there was the issue of shutting border in Ireland island, Europe do not believe that the reduction of its share is on part with the lack of production but that these companies plan to send part of their production in European plants to the UK so that they can meet the UK promised share as UK plants are not sufficient to do it by themselves.

Seems like other countries (at least the non producing ones) are not to be affected, perhaps only in the limit of the reducing production capability of the European plants (taking my previous example : 100 become 80 for everyone depending of the plant).

Quite possible something similar is going on with Moderna.

And you seem fine with the idea that the production from UK is not exported so why do you think it is a problem if the European ones is neither ? Personally, I consider the company should just share the burden evenly between all customers, not cutting for some to make sure other get their 100%.

Link for Astra

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/world/europe/EU-AstraZeneca-vaccine-export.html

Regarding Moderna, seems like Moderna is prioritarising US and other place including Canada and Europe have to suck it up :

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/01/29/news/canada-moderna-cuts-vaccine-supply-doses

Same article about Europa ensuring they will continue to ship to Canada and we had an article here yesterday stating they were also shipping to Japan.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

I am getting real tired of this ‘pandemic’

and this is why this pandemic is not going away, with that type of mentality, keep it up covid will catch you eventually, covid certainly isnt tired of you or anybody else

9 ( +11 / -2 )

And you seem fine with the idea that the production from UK is not exported so why do you think it is a problem if the European ones is neither ? 

Not sure how you got that?

No if AZ in the UK is producing then they have the obligation under Covax to distribute evenly not just the UK.

Same article about Europa ensuring they will continue to ship to Canada and we had an article here yesterday stating they were also shipping to Japan.

Yeah and that was what the 5th or 6th time the EU made that promise and I will expect the same results will happen, no Vaccine and another promise.

The EU sounds like my children when they were young and Canada sounds like me.

Me: when will you clean your room?

Them: I promise I will do it later.

Repeat the above over and over again.

The EU has made this promise to everyone then backed out then promises again only to again back out and repeat.

Nothing the EU at this time can be trusted or believed.

And as you pointed out the EU wasn't happy with the Irish border issues despite its own agreement made with the UK on Brexit.

I am neither from the EU, the UK or the USA, I am not Japanese either so I see no political reason to take any side.

So I look at what is going on and see EU and USA blocking exports, I see Japan, Canada, Australia, etc... Paying and paying but getting little or nothing in return.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Perhaps one of the reason of your downvoting is your partiality.

Or perhaps it is because most here are from Europe and the USA and don't like the facts their countries are again acting selfish as they have throwout history.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

We're learning of this now? This was news in December in other countries.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I get the idea from the fact you kept removing UK from your list of countries not exporting but attacking Europe which is actually exporting even thought their own share is being cut : 80% in some UE countries for Moderna, Pfizzer aimed for 60%, I don't remenber perhaps 40% for Astra. And their export ban is clearly oriented toward the move of sending the european production to fullfill 100% of the order of UK perhaps also US, but no idea for this one. Regarding the border closure, UK was also planning to do it if their production was the one being transfered.

The problem is the companies which are trying to push the production shortage to some countries while fullfilling some other countries order. Europe want them to share the burden evenly and is actually supplying countries depending of their plants, as Japan example proove and investing to increase the production capacity in their territory which will also be supplied to other countries depending of their plants.

Regarding the question about Australian, as I one not Australian prime minister I have no idea at all. Please ask him.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Pfizer should cancel the order, as Japan is happy to throw away 24 million doses.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I have already given up even planning on getting a shot. We will take our chances.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

@Antiquesaving

Or perhaps it is because most here are from Europe and the USA and don't like the facts their countries are again acting selfish as they have throwout history.

Ok, (i) if this were a hypothetical scenario, and (ii) if the cause of the vaccine rollout problems here in Japan could be boiled down to a single cause (of course, this is the real world and there are many factors at play simultaneously including bureaucracy and protectionism policies here that slowed rollout), and (iii) if that single cause was, let’s say, the US obstructing exports or a US-based pharmaceutical company not following through with the scheduling stipulations in the contract, it sounds ethically problematic, certainly.

In spite of how ethically dubious it sounds in a hypothetical situation however, I don’t see why anyone is surprised by the tension between countries wanting the vaccine and the suppliers. The reality is the demand for vaccine distribution far outstrips supply in all countries and that will likely remain as such for some months more and we all have to be patient (and continue the behavioral measures we have had a year to practice and get familiar with).

Of course, every country with contracts wants as many doses as soon as possible! But recognize that the US / EU and the pharma companies located therein have invested lots of time, money, and talent pool and facilitated a scientific culture of innovation. That climate helped these companies develop the mRNA tech and the vaccine itself at this brisk pace. The US also issued an EUA two months earlier than Japan so obviously Pfizer has had more vaccines distributed to the US (but even there, there was some outcry going around about the companies possibly not distributing as many vaccines as planned a month or so ago).

Arguing that these companies or countries of selfishly holding onto technologies that they invested into developing seems naive (pragmatically rather than ethically).

Moving forward and keeping in mind that this could be a dress rehearsal for a worse epidemic, why not think about how to support similar vaccine development or how to prepare the rollout logistics on the ground here rather than blame the US/EU companies for having developed proprietary knowledge and done the work to get the vaccines made...

I can only imagine if the situation were reversed, and Japan had been hit as hard by COVID as is the US, and the US were doing relatively better than Japan, and Japan had developed the vaccines, there might be contracts filled in Japan at a faster rate than they were filled in the US.... Sure, we can make ethical arguments about that, but pragmatically, is anyone surprised??

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I come from a medical family with lots of brilliant people. I am pro vaccine. Of course myself, spouse and all my family members here is Japan eagerly awaiting the chance to get a jab. Jesus...H C...We are a 100% with you on protecting the public, families and fixing this world.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So if there is a shortage of specialty syringes, reuse them on members of the same family. I have seen this done in southern Hemisphere medical clinics. The risk of hepatitis and other diseases from reusing syringes is minimized if the family unit shares the needle.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Force those idiots to sell some of their nikkei stocks, then they have the necessary pocket money for syringes.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Kay Bow

One problem with all of that!

Covax!

That is what paid for AZ Vaccine development by many countries not just the EU, those countries took the risk to pay upfront like the EU without knowing if the AZ Vaccine would even work. (Canada for example paid more that any other country only the EU with 28 countries paid more).

But to date only the EU and UK have had access to AZ from that deal.

So those like Canada and Japan that paid for AZ vaccine development should have also received it but it is 100% the EU and UK in this case that refused to permit export.

Oh they promise to permit but them don't then promise again and then don't.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

BYO then.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I remember the old days when Japan could do some things right.

To be fair, it isn't just Japan. Competence, not just syringes, seems to be in short supply.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is laughably bad.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Interesting reading the posts above - some people are saying that AZ have not even applied for the vaccine to be rolled out in Japan, and yet the article says:

Britain's AstraZeneca Plc, meanwhile, has said it has formally filed a request to the ministry for approval of its vaccine.

So... it looks like the AZ have applied.

As for the spat between the EU and UK over AZ: The plants in the EU which are producing the vaccine there were not producing enough and the EU believed they had failed in supplying the vaccine... they then demanded that the AZ plants in the UK divert stock to the EU to fulfill the contract. The UK said no, and then the EU decided to play silly buggers with the NI/Eire border... in the end it's all politics.

As for Japan... I really don't understand why they do everything so slowly when it comes to things like this: they can rebuild in weeks after an earthquake, but something like the right syringes and vaccine approval... like wading through treacle.

Also isn't the AZ manufactured for free in other countries all over the world?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wonderful news again,behind the vaccines and even with a shortage of something vital like syringes .

But the government could invest money on Abenomasks or still sponsoring the Olympics.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

SandyBeachHeavenToday  03:36 pm JST

I have already given up even planning on getting a shot. We will take our chances.

SandyBeachHeavenToday  04:25 pm JST

I myself, spouse and all my family members here is Japan eagerly awaiting the chance to get a jab.

Within an hour and within the same thread you flip-flop! Amazing!!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So... it looks like the AZ have applied

Yes just now despite being the only company to have already done trials in Japan it applied after all the rest and having a production deal with Japan.

The question is why did it delay for months to apply?

Also isn't the AZ manufactured for free in other countries all over the world?

Yes and no, seems again it has deals and agreements but has again failed to promptly apply for approval in most cases.

Something is very wrong, is it incompetence or is it an attempted at getting a better deal and more money. AZ was the biggest recipient of Covax money which came with not the best payment for AZ.

Pfizer didn't take any money from Covax or the USA warp speed so has no restrictions on price, etc.. so they seemed very quick to apply everywhere.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yet another nonsense story with a fake headline. Nobody will "miss out" on getting the vaccine, however some vaccine will apparently get wasted. The syringes most widely used in Japan are not the optimal size for the vaccine bottles. End of story.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@TokyoJoe

*commencing vaccinations of around 36 million people aged 65 and older from April.*

I would like to see a full list of developed nations to see their vaccination numbers to date. Would Japan be bottom?. They move glacierly slow.

Heres the list - bottom of the page

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

People do realise that the vials originally were labeled 5 doses and it was a fluke that the Nurses in the UK figured out they could squeeze 6 doses out.

Then Pfizer changed the labeling to 6 doses.

Guess why? Because they charge per dose and couldn't have people getting a free dose.

So now everyone needs to buy special syringes to be able to get the 6th dose that was never meant to be in the first place but now Pfizer is charging for.

Pandemic or not it is going to make as much money as it can.

Profit over ethics.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

kurisupisuToday 12:46 pm JST

12 months and I haven’t been infected-been all around and will eat lunch out today.

Same for me without mask.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japan has contracts for 290 million doses.

AZ: 120 million

Pfizer/BioNTech: 120 million

Moderna: 50 million

There are not statistics or data regarding the number of vaccinations in Japan.

The lack of syringes is due to a lack of manufacture, though the problem was stated almost a year ago. Major manufacturers of syringes: 50% of all syringes are manufactured in China. 16 billion syringes of various types are manufactured in a year.

Becton Dickinson & Company (BD), Cardinal Monoject, McKesson, Smiths Medical, and Retractable Technologies Inc. (RTI), produce 663 million injection devices per year.

BD, based in New Jersey, is the largest manufacturer of needles and syringes in the world and accounts for 58 percent of U.S. production. In July, BARDA finally entered into contracts with BD for 140 million needles and syringes, the majority of which will be delivered by the end of 2020.

The syringe shortage is a supply chain problem, for which the Japanese government is not responsible. It takes years to construct a manufacturing facility.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"BD, based in New Jersey, is the largest manufacturer of needles and syringes in the world and accounts for 58 percent of U.S. production. In July, BARDA finally entered into contracts with BD for 140 million needles and syringes, the majority of which will be delivered by the end of 2020.

The syringe shortage is a supply chain problem, for which the Japanese government is not responsible. It takes years to construct a manufacturing facility."

You forgot Terumo.

A Japanese company producing syringes for everyone other than the Japanese!

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

They're not even going to START vaccinating age 65+ until April? Nope, instead they're going to first inject medical workers in February then wait 45+ days first to see the results Even though millions of people already got this in other countries, it must be tested on Japanese people because I guess they are a unique type of human or something.

What's wrong with Japan? This country is so far behind the curve, tsk.

Maybe I will have to get on an airplane and fly to a more efficient country that has it's act together in order to get this vaccine.

Olympics? I'm sure it's going to happen, lol.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Liquid nitrogen temperatures, two required doses, and now the need for special syringes...Three strikes! Other than the Dengue vaccine used recently in the Philippines, this Pfizer offering is the most poorly designed vaccine in modern times and, had we not been in 'panic' mode, this vaccine should not have been approved for first line use but as a backup if only because of its onerous technical requirements for its use. It's a bad design. When other vaccines are fully online, the use of this vaccine should be disparaged. When 'panic' is mixed with 'thinking', thinking usually takes a backseat. That is what we see here...let's hope these flaws do not extend to long term immunological or, worse, auto-immunological issues in the future for those receiving it...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Liquid nitrogen temperatures, two required doses, and now the need for special syringes...Three strikes!

I will say that it all seems to much and I have a few more problems with it.

First the supposed need for a special glass vial with multiple doses.

I worked in North North North Canada nearly 40 years ago, er had emergency meds prepackaged in syringes, single doses that were generally left in containers outside in -60°C without any problems if that was possible then I doubt it would take that much to tweek those to be ok at -75°C and they could ship everything ready for use.

My biggest problem is what is left out.

Those vials were 5 dose vials that someone figured out by using a different syringe they could get a 6th dose Free.

So originally a standard Vaccine syringe was used, now that Pfizer realised some were getting a Free dose, they relabeled the vials 6 doses and require a different harder to find syringe.

Seeing the countries are paying per dose they are getting the same amount of vaccinates as before but paying more because now Pfizer views that vial as a 6 doses knowing very well many places will not have enough of those syringes and will require more vials to make-up the one lost dose.

It is another money grab by Pfizer.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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