Drugmakers cut vaccine prices for poorer nations

Several leading drugmakers are cutting their prices on potentially life-saving vaccines for people in developing countries in an effort to sustain supplies via the GAVI international vaccine alliance. The price cuts, offered by both generic and branded drugmakers including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Johnson & Johnson’s,  Crucell and Sanofi-Aventis’  Sanofi Pasteur, should help the alliance narrow a $3.7 billion funding gap for its commitments up until 2015. GSK said on Monday it would provide its Rotarix rotavirus vaccine to GAVI at a 67 percent discount to the current public price — bringing it to $2.50 per dose, or $5 to fully immunise a child. Merck said it will offer its Rotateq rotavirus shot at $5.00 a dose initially. “The RotaTeq price will decrease to $3.50 once the purchase volume increases to 30 million doses,” it said. Julie Gerberding, president of Merck...