Jul 30, 2020 - Health

The deep decline in vaccine sales

Bob Herman

A vaccine syringe with a GlaxoSmithKline box in the background. — GSK's Twinrix vaccine. Photo: Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images

Global stay-at-home orders stemming from the coronavirus pandemic — especially those in the U.S. — have led to steep sales declines in routine vaccinations.

The big picture: Although more people are getting their vaccines now, "there remains some way to go to get back to pre-COVID levels for adult vaccinations," GlaxoSmithKline CEO Emma Walmsley said on an investor call Wednesday.

By the numbers:

Sales of GlaxoSmithKline's vaccines in the second quarter plummeted 29% from the same period in 2019, totaling £1.13 billion.
Pfizer's vaccine sales fell 9% to $1.25 billion. The drop was especially severe in the U.S. for Pfizer's main vaccine, Prevnar 13, due to the "unfavorable impact of disruptions to wellness visits," the company said.
Sanofi said its vaccine sales slumped 7% to €927 million because of the "global confinements."
Merck will report its second-quarter results on Friday. Wall Street expects Merck's vaccine sales dropped 26% year over year.

Yes, but: The major vaccine manufacturers said uptake was rising a lot in Europe and developing countries.

But global sales dragged because of the shutdowns in the U.S., where drug companies charge the highest prices in the world.

Go deeper: The pandemic has put a lot of children behind the curve on routine vaccinations

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The deep decline in vaccine sales

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