GSK announced that it will freeze the prices of its vaccines for five years for developing countries that graduate from GAVI Alliance support. By committing to offer GAVI Alliance prices for vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and cervical cancer, GSK will support developing country governments as they transition to financing the full cost of their local vaccination programmes.

Since its formation in 2000, the GAVI Alliance has helped to fund the immunisation of 440 million children in some of the world’s poorest countries. GSK is a long-standing partner of the Alliance and reserves its lowest prices for GAVI-eligible countries, which can be as low as one-tenth of prices in developed countries.

Speaking recently at a European Commission/GAVI Alliance event in Brussels, Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive officer, GSK paid tribute to the GAVI Alliance leadership and its partners including governments, donors, charities and vaccine manufacturers which together have enabled millions of children in the world’s poorest countries to receive innovative, life-saving vaccines.

Sir Andrew Witty said: “The achievements of the GAVI Alliance are remarkable with 6 million lives saved since its formation in 2000. Successful vaccination programmes have no doubt also helped countries to develop in this time. For countries that are doing well and are moving out of GAVI, I’m pleased that we are able to offer governments a price freeze to help ensure that children continue to be protected by national immunisation programmes. At the same time, GSK remains fully committed to supporting GAVI to expand and accelerate access to vaccines for children in the countries that still require the support of the Alliance.”

By 2020, 22 countries with growing economies will graduate from GAVI support. This process allows GAVI to focus resources on the poorest countries, while enabling governments to take increasing responsibility and ownership for vaccination programmes over time. GSK is the first company to commit to maintaining lowest prices for five years as countries take this step, enabling governments to plan for financing the full cost of their immunisation programmes.

“Sustainability is a central pillar in the long-term success of GAVI Alliance-supported vaccine programmes,” said Dr Seth Berkley, chief executive officer, of the GAVI Alliance. “GSK is taking strong steps towards supporting developing countries whose growing economies mean they are no longer eligible for Alliance support and is leading the way in longer-term access to low prices for rotavirus, pneumococcal and human papillomavirus vaccines for these countries.”

GSK is one of the largest contributors of vaccines to the GAVI Alliance, supplying innovative vaccines, such as those for rotavirus, pneumococcal disease and cervical cancer, at significantly reduced prices to help accelerate access in developing countries. GSK has committed to provide more than 850 million vaccine doses that will help protect up to 300 million children and young girls in the developing world by 2024. GSK delivers over 2 million vaccines each day; over a year, 80 per cent of our vaccine doses go to developing countries.