The purchase of vaccine 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 of them meet internationally recognized standards of safety and efficacy. Making awards based only on price is dangerous.
Quality is the first consideration.
Unlike pharmaceuticals, the safety and efficacy of the finished product cannot be determined through laboratory testing. Vaccines are heat sensitive. Cold room capacity must be available at the time the vaccines are delivered. BUT require extra considerations. It is therefore recommended to Governments to purchase their vaccine and sera through a well established procurement entity, following standard drug procurement procedures taking into account extra considerations related to vaccine specificity.