Government: "Moderna Apologizes for Vaccine Supply Disruption... Difficult to Judge as Contract Breach"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 9th, the government stated that it is difficult to consider the reduction by more than half of the COVID-19 vaccine supply that the U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna had planned to deliver this month as a breach of contract.

The intergovernmental Vaccine Introduction Task Force (TF) said in a text notice distributed to the press corps on the same day, "The specific supply schedule of the (vaccine) is determined through consultation and is not specified in the contract, so it is difficult to judge the supply disruption as a breach of contract."

When asked about the possibility of legal action against Moderna in the future, the TF responded, "The government is very regretful about Moderna's supply disruption, but it is cautious about legal responses." It added, "It is necessary to consider that there are only a few pharmaceutical companies supplying vaccines worldwide, and all countries around the world are trying to purchase (vaccines) simultaneously." The TF also stated, "Moderna expressed its apology for the supply disruption during a meeting with the Ministry of Health and Welfare."

The government plans to explore various measures to ensure that Moderna vaccines arrive as soon as possible. The TF explained, "Through high-level meetings and regular working meetings, we will urge rapid supply, and we plan to dispatch an official Korean delegation led by Deputy Minister Kang Do-tae of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to express strong regret over this supply delay and urge prompt vaccine supply." However, the specific schedule for dispatching the delegation has not been decided.

Regarding whether negotiations are ongoing with Moderna, which has repeatedly delayed the planned supply schedule, for next year's vaccine introduction, the TF refrained from specific comments, saying, "It is difficult to speak before concluding a contract considering negotiation strategies regarding whether negotiations are underway for contract signing with a specific pharmaceutical company."

The TF mentioned, "As previously stated, the government is negotiating to secure quantities that allow the public to receive at least one dose, focusing on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines." The total amount of COVID-19 vaccines the government is scheduled to receive from Moderna this year is 40 million doses, of which only 2.455 million doses have been delivered so far.

Moderna had previously postponed part of the July supply to August. After a high-level meeting with Moderna on the 27th of last month, the government announced, "Moderna agreed with our government to prioritize supplying a significant portion of the postponed quantity next week and to supply the August quantity without disruption," but supply disruptions occurred again in less than two weeks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.