The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) has also released a statement in which it responds to allegations the organization is overcharging private hospitals buying the Moderna vaccine, reports state news agency NNT.
The GPO currently serves as a facilitator for the procurement of Moderna vaccine, to be offered by private hospitals as an out-of-pocket alternative COVID-19 vaccine, to those offered free of charge by the government.
In doing so, the GPO will be signing a supply agreement with Moderna’s authorized dealer in Thailand, Zuellig Pharma, and will distribute the vaccine to private hospitals at a price of B1,100 per dose.
This pricing has however led to a claim on social media the GPO is overcharging private hospitals, citing an alleged cost per-dose of only B584, said the report.
The allegation claims the GPO is charging 88% extra on the claimed B584 per dose price.
In its statement, the GPO has insisted its B1,100 per dose reflects actual costs, from the price quoted by the reseller to the associated costs such as storage, logistics, and adverse effects insurance.
Meanwhile, the GPO says it cannot provide the actual pricing quoted by Moderna’s authorised dealer due to a confidentiality agreement, but the average global price as reported on www.biospace.com indicates a range of US$25-37 per dose, subject to conditions and the size of the order.