In Mexico, 8 types of vaccines have been applied: AztraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Cansino, Janssen, Sinovac, Covishield, and Sputnik. All these cases are marked by a lack of transparency in the process of authorization, purchase, and access to the vaccines, which has been carried out with public funds. The Mexican government, like other governments in the world, has accepted the terms imposed by the companies in contracts on which the information is shielded from public view, creating conditions for heightened corruption, conflicts of interest, and lack of access, in particular for the most vulnerable. As the pharmaceutical companies enrich themselves with public funds, the right to health, which should be the centerpiece of a comprehensive health policy with a human rights perspective, is undermined.
As of May 4, 2023, COVID-19 was no longer deemed an international health emergency. However, even after three years, its impact continues to affect the lives and health of thousands who lack access to vaccines, treatments, or timely and adequate care. Throughout the pandemic, the State’s power weakened as corporate power prevailed through contracts prioritizing private profit and concealed information without any accountability for the companies involved. Legislation on international trade, investment, patents, and intellectual property has treated medicines as a commodity without considering that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right that should be universal. Last year, we provided information on the lack of transparency in the licensing, purchasing, and accessing of licensed vaccines in Mexico during the pandemic. In this investigation, we provide an update on that information to gain a broader perspective. Mexico has signed nine contracts for vaccine procurement, but the public versions were only released in June 2023, over two years after the government was asked to provide them. The public versions of the vaccine deals do not reveal the amount of money paid by the Mexican government to each of the pharmaceutical companies. We are entering a new era where pharmaceutical companies will sell vaccines to governments and private actors. This transition marks a shift from a controlled market to a competitive one, creating new challenges.