Overview
- On Wednesday, July 29, the U.S. government immediately released $600 million in congressionally appropriated funds to Gavi after negotiating commitments on vaccine safety and governance.
- Gavi agreed to work toward replacing vaccines that use thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, with newer mercury-free formulations for meningococcal, pentavalent, pneumococcal and hepatitis B vaccines.
- The United States expects to resume its seat on Gavi’s board and said it will judge future support on measurable implementation, accountability, and the organization’s follow-through on agreed reforms.
- Gavi and donors face practical hurdles to carry out the transition because manufacturers must scale production, countries must adopt new formulations, and Gavi’s governing board must approve changes.
- The U.S. move follows months of withheld funding and criticism from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., comes as the U.S. historically supplied about 13% of Gavi’s funding, and sits against a scientific record that finds no credible link between thimerosal and autism.