The purchase of vaccines and sera is complex and requires a specialized knowledge and a precise approach. Vaccines are different from drugs and purchasing cannot follow the same procedure for both. Health specialists are not always aware of the need to apply different purchasing approaches. There are many companies producing vaccines but only a few meet internationally-recognized standards of safety and efficacy. Making awards based only on price is dangerous.
Quality is the first consideration.
The safety and efficacy of the vaccines cannot be determined through laboratory testing. Vaccines are heat sensitive. Cold-room capacity must be available at the time the vaccines are delivered. Vaccination therefore has a national impact on public health. The quality of the finished product cannot be determined only by laboratory testing.