A bipartisan amendment to improve global vaccine access introduced by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) became law last week as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022.
“Increasing global access to the COVID vaccine is vital to U.S. economic and national security,” Sen. Cassidy said on Jan. 3. “Our amendment ensures the United States is at the forefront of global vaccine distribution and supply.”
President Joe Biden on Dec. 27 signed into law the NDAA, which includes an amendment offered by Sen. Cassidy and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study regarding the redistribution of expiring doses of the COVID–19 vaccine to foreign countries and economies, according to the text of the amendment.
Additionally, the bipartisan amendment calls for the study to analyze options for collecting unexpired COVID-19 vaccine doses, methods for collecting and shipping the doses to foreign countries, methods to ensure appropriate storage and handling of doses during delivery, capacity of foreign governments to distribute and administer these doses, and the minimum supply of doses needed to be retained in the United States, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Cassidy’s staff.
“Expanding worldwide access to COVID-19 vaccines is central to ending the pandemic,” said Sen. Smith. “This amendment will take important steps towards slowing the spread of this virus, allowing the United States to improve COVID-19 vaccine access for low- and middle-income countries, and leading the world out of the COVID-19 pandemic.”