MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil sees opportunity in mRNA vaccine development

Brazil wants to fill a void in vaccine development platforms, Padilha explained

Brazil's Alexandre Padilha admitted Tuesday at the at the 15th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting in Brasilia that his country was seeking to become a global leader in messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine production, leveraging partnerships with national institutions like the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Sao Paulo-based Butantan Institute. Padilha also reckoned other BRICS countries such as China would be engaged in the initiative.

The Brazilian official emphasized the efficacy and adaptability of mRNA vaccines, as highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic, The strategy includes expanding research and production capabilities through international cooperation.

He also criticized the United States for canceling mRNA vaccine contracts and cutting research budgets, contrasting this with BRICS’ commitment to advancing science and vaccine development. These drugs instruct cells to produce immune-activating proteins without affecting DNA.

“It's a serious step backwards. Contrary to what we see there, here in the BRICS we are promoting science, investing in research and expanding our production capacity,” he said.

“It seems to me an absurd situation to see the current president of the United States and his government canceling contracts already signed, breaking agreements for the development and production of mRNA vaccines,” Padilha also pointed out.

“While in the United States investment in science is being reduced, in the BRICS we are following another path: we are betting on science, investing in the development of these platforms and allocating our own resources,” he underllined.

According to Padilha, this type of vaccine has proven effective and flexible in responding quickly to new viruses, which reinforces its importance in future pandemic scenarios.

“They are vaccines that showed impressive and timely quality, for their ability to adapt quickly to pathogens that may arise during a pandemic,” the minister explained during a press conference.

“This platform has demonstrated very high quality and agility. Brazil wants to occupy this space and is already working to do so,” he added.

“We signed strategic partnerships with Chinese vaccine producers during President Lula's visit. This reinforces the path to making Brazil a reference in this field,” he further noted.