EU Commission confirms vaccine investments preceded certainty of success

The European Commission has confirmed that investments in COVID-19 vaccines were made in 2020 before the success of the products was certain. In response to inquiries from EU Parliament member Gerald Hauser, the Commission acknowledged that these investments occurred alongside measures to minimize liability risks for manufacturers.

According to the responses, the contract signed with Moderna in December 2020 allowed the company to avoid liability for issues such as vaccine efficacy or unacceptable side effects. Instead, the legal and financial risks associated with potential vaccine damage—including injury, illness, or disability—were transferred to the EU member states.

Hauser criticized the arrangement, stating that it created massive incentives for the pharmaceutical industry while socializing the risks among the public. Additionally, while Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel suggested the company was preparing for a pandemic as early as 2019, the Commission stated it had no such prior knowledge of a 2020 pandemic.