US negotiating for millions more vaccine doses from Pfizer

U.S. government is negotiating with Pfizer to acquire tens of millions of ditional vaccine doses in exchange for helping pharmaceutical giant gain better access to manufacturing supplies.

A person with kwledge of negotiations told Associated Press on Tuesday that deal is under discussion but has t been finalized. person spoke on condition of anymity to describe ongoing deliberations.

Pfizer's vaccine was first to gain approval from Food and Drug ministration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has w been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from National Institutes of Health.

A law dating back to Korean War gives government authority to direct private companies to produce critical goods in times of national emergency. Called Defense Production Act, it could be used to help Pfizer secure supplies ranging from needed chemicals to vials to containers and materials to keep its vaccine super-cold. person who spoke to AP about negotiations described using defense law as an option under consideration.

Moderna's vaccine was developed in close collaboration with government's own effort, which is called Operation Warp Speed. It was designed to have millions of vaccine doses rey and available to ship once a shot received FDA approval.

Pfizer has a contract to supply government with 100 million doses of its vaccine under Operation Warp Speed, but government officials have said it's more of an arms-length relationship with company and y don't have as much visibility into its operations.

Having tens of millions more doses from Pfizer would help U.S. keep up pace of vaccinations through winter and into spring, moving nation closer to goal of vaccinating all Americans.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said last week that government was negotiating with Pfizer for more doses, but details provided Tuesday about company's desire for better access to supplies are new.

Earlier, U.S. officials h said y were discussing purchase of ar 100 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for delivery as early as middle of next year. Those details and timing may have changed.

vaccine from Pfizer and German pharmaceutical BioNTech immediately raised hopes of taming a pandemic that has killed nearly 320,000 people in U.S. and hobbled much of national ecomy. Health care workers and nursing home residents topped list as local TV stations across country began brocasting scenes of first vaccinations. Some polls show skepticism about getting vaccinated may be easing.

After early failures with testing, Trump ministration officials are hoping to write a very different ending with vaccines. Operation Warp Speed has financed development, manufacture and distribution of millions of doses, with goal of providing a free vaccine to any American who wants one.

Operation Warp Speed is on track to have about 40 million doses of vaccine by end of this month, of which about 20 million would be allocated for first vaccinations. Distribution of those doses would span into first week of January. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots to be fully effective.

New York Times first reported new details of negotiations between Pfizer and Trump ministration.