We live in a time when science is increasingly demonstrating the ability to take on the world’s most devastating diseases. Unfortunately, there exists a tremendous health equity gap in our world that too often determines who can access innovations – and who cannot. Equity is a core Pfizer value that drives our people and our work every single day. We believe better health is possible for everyone everywhere, and that all people deserve access to quality healthcare. It is this drive that led us to launch An Accord for a Healthier World, a new breakthrough initiative working to close the health equity gap.

Through this groundbreaking initiative, launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in May 2022, we came together with leaders from Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, Uganda and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to announce we will work towards sustained, equitable access of medicines and vaccines for 1.2 billion people living in 45 lower-income countries that have historically been most vulnerable to healthcare inequalities. Alongside governments and global health organizations, the Accord aims to co-create scalable solutions to address systemic barriers that often limit or prevent equitable access. We are focused on working together to find faster, more efficient pathways for supply of medicines and vaccines as well as strengthening the resources, capabilities and platforms that can enable quicker and more efficient access to healthcare innovation.

With the launch of the Accord in May 2022, Pfizer committed to provide all its patented medicines and vaccines available in the U.S or EU – both current and future products - on a not-for- profit basis to the 45 lower-income countries. Understanding that product supply is only one part of this challenge, we also put forth the call to action to global health leaders around the world to work with us and these governments to find new ways to remove access barriers and help ensure that these medicines and vaccines can reach those who need them.

We immediately began engagement with a number of Accord-eligible countries, including Rwanda, Malawi, Ghana and Senegal, to identify the needs and opportunities for sustainable access. Within the first four months of the launch, Rwanda became the first country to procure products through the Accord, receiving nine medicines and vaccines that can help treat life-threatening infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases and certain cancers. Pfizer and the Rwanda Ministry of Health have also begun working together to provide professional healthcare education and training, and in November, Pfizer deployed a Global Health Team to the country to help identify opportunities for long-term supply chain optimization.

“In partnership with Pfizer and ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’, we are proud to provide rapid and affordable access to these Pfizer medicines and vaccines, which have the power to save and improve patient lives all across Rwanda,” said The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije. In these early engagements with country governments, we also heard resoundingly, that there is an immediate need for consistent access to a broader scope of high-quality products. Based on this feedback and our commitment to address unmet patient needs, in early 2023, Pfizer expanded on its initial commitment to offer all patented medicines and vaccines available in the U.S. or EU to now include the full portfolio for which we have global rights. This expanded portfolio offering will include off-patent medicines as well, bringing the product offering from 23 to nearly 500 products that can help to treat or prevent many of the greatest infectious and non-communicable disease threats faced today in lower-income countries. Nearly 40% of the medicines and vaccines now offered appear on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. And as Pfizer introduces new medicines and vaccines, those products will also be included in the Accord portfolio.

We will continue to call upon governments, global health leaders and industry who share our vision to join in this breakthrough effort and to work with us to address access barriers and help to close the health equity gap.

"Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients,” said Pfizer Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Dr. Albert Bourla.