Pathway out of the pandemic
Audit of COVID-19 vaccine procurement
The Netherlands procured 102 million COVID-19 vaccines at a cost of €1.8 billion in 2020 and 2021. This amount does not include expenditure via the European Union or the cost of vaccination itself. On the whole, the Ministry of Health responded well to the need to procure COVID-19 vaccines. The Netherlands played an active role in the vaccine negotiations, also at European level, and did not lose sight of public interests.
The Netherlands procured 102 million vaccines, mainly from Pfizer, at a cost of €1.8 billion
In 2020 and 2021, the Netherlands procured some 109 million vaccines. As it did not need them all, it reduced the number to 102 million in 2023, at a cost of nearly €1.8 billion.
What did we audit?
The Court did not audit the efficiency of vaccine procurement. The total cost of the pandemic to the world and the Netherlands was so high that it overshadowed nearly every other capital expenditure. Economic losses due to the pandemic in the Netherlands alone are estimated at €65 billion. Neither did we investigate the safety of the vaccines. That was a task of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG)|
The audit reconstructed the vaccine negotiations held in 2020 and 2021 to establish how the Netherlands procured vaccines. Key questions included whether the Dutch government used its best efforts to ensure effective and safely tested vaccines were procured in sufficient numbers to lift the country out of the pandemic. It also asked whether other public interests were kept in mind (such as effective accountability and price transparency). The answers are presented in the audit report.
Why did we audit vaccine procurement?
Vaccines were the main pathway out of the global pandemic but procurement negotiations were held chiefly behind closed doors. We thought it important to investigate whether the health minister had kept the most important public interests in mind during the negotiations and whether that was reflected in the final result.
What were our audit questions?
Our audit answered three key questions:
- How did the Netherlands procure COVID-19 vaccines and did procurement meet the standards we can expect?
- Are there indications that the Netherlands brought its influence to bear on the procurement of vaccines, which were ultimately procured under the European Commission’s leadership?
- Did the agreement of procurement contracts take sufficient account of the public interests that we can expect to be served?
Do you have any feedback about this audit?
We welcome all feedback on our audits. What do you think about the report? Do you have any questions or need more information? Mail us at feedback@rekenkamer.nl. We will read and consider all emails in confidence.