Analysis and Critique of the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines
This briefing document provides a critical analysis of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s Advance Market Commitment (AMC) pilot for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCVs) and its impact on access to pneumonia vaccines for populations in need. A close and critical review of issues with the AMC model is needed because of the replication of its use for global access to other important vaccines, such as the new COVAX Facility for COVID-19 vaccines, which draws heavily from the AMC mechanism.
Touted as an innovative financial mechanism to incentivize pharmaceutical corporations to address developing-country health needs, the AMC pilot for PCVs achieved some success but also had shortcomings. With the current design of a new AMC under way as part of the COVAX Facility, Gavi is referencing the performance of the AMC pilot for PCVs as a basis for its decisions and to try and lend credibility to its role as the lead agency designing the new mechanism.
Drawing from two evaluations commissioned by the Gavi AMC Secretariat and annual reports, this document aims to give a critical assessment of the AMC to highlight the lessons learned from the practical application of the AMC model, and offers recommendations for implementation of the AMC model going forward.
