Vaccine market and production capabilities in the Americas

In the Americas, The United States of America, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil are the top vaccine producers and the countries with the leading infrastructure for biological manufacturing. The North American countries have the most demanding legislation regulating and controlling these pharmaceuticals' distribution and production. Some Latin American countries rank in the top 20 of worldwide vaccine manufacturers, with Cuba, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia have a self-sufficient vaccine production of 72.7%, 54,2%; 25%; and 7.7%, respectively, of the national vaccine demand. On the other hand, the rest of Latin American countries cannot satisfy their demand for vaccines, and most of their efforts are associated with the distribution within their health systems rather than in transferring technology. Based on this literature review, the results suggest an increasing growth vaccine demand, not only for their growing populations and previously established demand but also for the recently exerted pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the American continent has a marked inequality between the hegemonic producers of vaccines, the exporters, and those that depend heavily on importing these products, this could assert technological dependence in countries with rapid population growth and jeopardize the effectiveness of the two vaccination plans.

Automated summary

The United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil are the top vaccine producers in the Americas with strict regulations, while Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have relatively high self-sufficiency rates in vaccine production within Latin American countries. Other Latin American countries struggle to meet vaccine demands, focusing more on distribution within their health systems. The study indicates increasing demand for vaccines due to population growth and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, posing challenges for vaccine production and distribution in the American continent.