Germany's Potential Mpox Vaccine Donation Initiative

The German government is considering donating its national mpox vaccine doses, currently stockpiled by the German army. The health ministry is coordinating with the European Union and other international bodies to ensure effective distribution, with a focus on African countries. There are no current clade 1 mpox cases in Germany.

The German government is evaluating the possibility of donating available mpox vaccine doses, the health ministry indicated in an August status report reviewed by Reuters this Friday.

The report noted that the ministry has allocated its remaining Jynneos vaccine stock to the defense ministry and the German army. The federal government is stockpiling around 117,000 doses of Jynneos, procured back in 2022, as confirmed by a ministry spokesperson earlier this week.

International aid initiatives, including those from the European Commission, are in progress, though specific details are yet to be finalized both at the European and local levels, the ministry highlighted. The European Union has called on member states to coordinate their mpox vaccine donations to African countries, avoiding individual efforts. The European Commission holds a joint procurement contract with vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic for this purpose.

"European donations will have more immediate impact if they are coordinated," stated EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides in an August 22 letter addressed to EU health ministers. Currently, no cases of the clade 1 mpox strain—known for its easy transmission through routine close contact—have been reported in Germany, the ministry reported.

The ministry assured that the government is closely monitoring the situation but does not see an elevated risk from clade 1 in Germany, which they believe can be effectively contained with the available mpox vaccines.

(With inputs from agencies.)