Open letter to the Nobel Prize Committee
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Dear Nobel Prize Committees,
We write to you in great respect of the role the Nobel Prize plays in recognizing exceptional achievement for humanity. We write to thank you for the exceptional role you play for the world. And we write to you in pain. We are Covid-19 survivors. We are nurses and health workers, who have given every ounce of our being to save lives from this deadly virus. Too many of our co-workers died saving others. We are individuals who have lost loved ones to Covid-19. We come together from 40 countries across the world.
We are aware that there are some calls for Dr. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Uğur Şahin, the founders of the pharmaceutical corporation BioNTech, to be nominated and awarded for Nobel Prizes.
Prof. Şahin and Dr. Türeci have provided exceptional leadership in creating a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine that is as effective as any on the planet, with the support of German and European public funds.
And yet it profoundly distresses us that they are even being considered for any Nobel Prize. As we write today, the world is in an extraordinary crisis. 0.3% of Covid-19 vaccines have gone to low-income countries. Some three million more lives could be lost this year to people who do not have access to a Covid-19 vaccine. These could be our co-workers; our parents; it could be us.
Despite the great scientific achievement of BioNTech, Prof. Şahin and Dr. Türeci have in fact rejected efforts that would allow for billions more people to benefit from the science they have created.
Prof. Şahin andDr. Türeci have refused to share their Covid-19 vaccine recipes with the World Health Organization (WHO) that would, ensuring quality control and regulatory oversight, allow for qualified manufacturers worldwide to make the vaccine. And they have undermined efforts by over 100 countries led by South Africa and India to lift intellectual property rules on Covid-19 vaccines that started precisely one year ago.
That is far from what, as Alfred Nobel described, those who “have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind”. Faced with the chance to save millions of lives with their life-saving science, Prof. Şahin and Dr. Türeci have instead chosen to protect their monopoly to create billions of dollars in profits. They prioritized their profitable partnership with Pfizer, but we expected far better from them.
That is why it would be unconscionable that they be awarded any Nobel Prize. We people in poorer countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia put out a desperate outreached hand to Prof. Şahin and Dr. Türeci, asking they help save our lives –and instead they have turned their back to us.
We believe this can still change. Our message to Prof. Sahin and Dr. Türeci to whom we also share this letter, is a simple one:we have nothing but respect for your scientific achievement. But we have nothing except despair for your subsequent failure to share that science with the world.’
Were you to agree to share your science through the WHO mRNA hub in South Africa, and its Covid-19 Technology Access pool, and to support a comprehensive waiver of intellectual property rules, we will be the first to support your nomination for a Nobel Prize: as the individuals who used their extraordinary power to save millions of lives in every country in the world at this time of unprecedented human crisis.
In sincerity and solidarity,
Signatories:
- Zulaikha Rafiq, COVID-19 Survivor, Afghanistan
- Morgan, Healthcare worker, Australia
- Odette Michel Best, Healthcare worker, Australia
- Dr Aletha Ward, Healthcare worker, Australia
- Tom Reddington, Healthcare worker, Australia
- Khushi Kabir, COVID-19 bereaved, Bangladesh
- Rokeya Kabir. COVID-19 bereaved, Bangladesh
- Nadira Mallik, COVID-19 bereaved, Bangladesh
- M. Abdul Matin, Healthcare worker, Bangladesh
- Pablo Andres Rivero, COVID-19 bereaved, Bolivia
- Grazielle Custódio David, COVID-19 bereaved, Brazil
- Reaksmey Hong, COVID-19 bereaved, Cambodia
- Charina Huot, COVID-19 Survivor, Cambodia
- Francisco Olivares, Healthcare worker, Chile
- Linna. Healthcare worker, China
- Fabiola Rodriguez, COVID-19 bereaved, Colombia
- Richard Stern, Costa Rica
- Mandisa Zwane-Machakata, COVID-19 bereaved, Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Nigus Simane, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Ethiopia
- Hailu Nurga, COVID-19 bereaved, Ethiopia
- Rashmi Mistry, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, France
- Anonymous, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, France
- Saiba T Suso, COVID-19 bereaved, Gambia
- Mam Kumba Ndow Sise, Healthcare worker, Gambia
- Malte Radde, COVID-19 survivor, Germany
- Adrian Schlegel, COVID-19 bereaved, Germany
- Kaiser Gabi, Healthcare worker, Germany
- Ohenewaa Brown, COVID-19 Survivor, Ghana
- Emmanuel Baidoo, COVID-19 bereaved, Ghana
- Gbene Ali Malik, COVID-19 bereaved, Ghana
- Shobha Raghuram, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Babu Mathew, COVID-19 bereaved, Vaccine trial participant, India
- Blessina Kumar, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- JaibuNisha.R, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, Vaccine trial participant, India
- Dr. Nitin Jadhav, COVID-19 bereaved, Indi
- Shalmali Guttal, COVID-19 Survivor, India
- Vijay Rukmini Rao, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- S David Brynerd, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Kiran Kumar, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Loon Gangte, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- James Pochury, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Smita Khanijow, COVID-19 Survivor, India
- David Selvaraj, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Sushovan Dhar, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- David Kire, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Anonymous, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Ramesh Kumar Singh, Healthcare worker, India
- Asola, COVID-19 bereaved, India
- Aditya Wardhana, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, Indonesia
- Rachmi Hertanti, COVID-19 Survivor, Indonesia
- Meirinda Sebayang, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Indonesia
- Kieran Harkin, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Susan Smith, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Aaron Koay, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- John Carroll, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- James Larkin, Healthcare Researcher, Ireland
- Ciara Conlan, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Anne Reilly, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Paul O’Raw, Ireland
- Sean Farren, Ireland
- Toni Pyke, Ireland
- John O’Louighlin Kennedy, Ireland
- Helen Fahy, Ireland
- Seamus ONeill, COVID-19 bereaved, Ireland
- Michael Byrne, Ireland
- Anne Heffernan, Ireland
- Pat Murphy, COVID-19 bereaved, Ireland
- Carmel Hamill, Ireland,
- Carol Dorgan, Ireland
- Christine Kelly, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Gail Nicolson, Healthcare worker, Ireland
- Emanuela Lamieri, COVID-19 bereaved, Italy
- Marie-Claire Wangari, Healthcare worker, Kenya
- Allan, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Ruth Sandimu, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Crystal Simeoni, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Timothy Wafula, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Josephine Ireri, COVID-19 survivor, Kenya
- Nickson Chepkwony, COVID-19 survivor, Healthcare worker, Kenya
- Fatuma Matemu, Kenya
- Deepak Xavier, COVID-19 survivor, Kenya
- Nabil Ahmed, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Sadia Kidwai, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Julie O, COVID-19 bereaved, Kenya
- Thokozile Lungu, COVID-19 bereaved, Malawi
- Crisis Home KL, Healthcare worker, Vaccine trial participant, Malaysia
- Traore Tariba, COVID-19 survivor, Mali
- Marco Alejandro, Healthcare worker, Mexico
- Georgina Gutiérrez Alvarado, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Mexico
- María Eugenia Velázquez Zaragoza, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, Mexico
- Elizabeth, COVID-19 bereaved, Namibia
- Praman Adhikari, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Reshma Shakya, Vaccine trial participant, Nepal
- Rajesh Didiya, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Hari Bhusal, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Sujat Shramanera. COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Asmita Pandit, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Anonymous, COVID-19 Survivor, Healthcare worker, Nepal
- Pratap Maharjan, COVID-19 Survivor, Nepal
- Geeta Pandey, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Bishnu Prasad Sharma, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Mahesh Badal, COVID-19 Survivor, Nepal
- Lily Thapa, COVID-19 Survivor, Nepal
- Indu Adhikary, COVID-19 Survivor, Healthcare worker, Nepal
- Shiva Paudel, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Dilip Shrestha, COVID-19 survivor, Nepal
- Bal Krishna Kattel, COVID-19 survivor, Nepal
- Nilam Pun, Healthcare worker, Nepal
- BarsaThapa, COVID-19 bereaved, Nepal
- Lumanti Joshi, COVID-19 Survivor, Nepal
- Asma Kiran, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Pakistan
- Asghar Satti, Healthcare worker, Pakistan
- Dr Alia Haider, Healthcare worker, Pakistan
- Irfan Ilahi, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Pakistan
- Farooq Tariq, COVID-19 survivor, Pakistan
- Dinah Fuentesfina, COVID-19 bereaved, Philippines
- Angelica Pago, COVID-19 Survivor, Philippines
- Anthony Louie V. David, COVID-19 Survivor, Healthcare worker, Philippines
- Jesus Rancile Cabas, COVID-19 Survivor, Philippines
- Raymund Lauron, COVID-19 Survivor, Philippines
- Joshua San PedroCOVID-19 Survivor, Healthcare worker, Philippines
- Juan Dionisio Rafael Ferriols, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Philippines
- Jamie Dominique N. Dasmariñas, Healthcare worker, Philippines
- Randy Dacanay, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Philippines
- Valentina Montanaro, COVID-19 bereaved, Portugal
- Maria Fernanda Salazar Rodriguez, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Portugal
- Michel Ndayambaje, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Rwanda
- Jacqueline Nyirabyimana, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Rwanda
- Anonymous, COVID-19 Survivor, Rwanda
- Belinda Ameterra, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Solanga Solly Milambo, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Irna Senekal, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Geraldine Naidoo, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Tian Johnson, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Mabalane Mfundisi, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Tokky Shingange, COVID-19 survivor, South Africa
- Jens Pedersen, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Rafia Akram, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Mbali Baduza, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Linda Cooper, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Mila Harding, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Fatima Hassan, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Vanessa Japtha, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Maurice Smithers, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Sasha Stevenson, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Umunyana, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Yanga, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Lucky Boy Edison Mkhondwane, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Boitumelo, COVID-19 survivor, South Africa
- Jean Richter, COVID-19 survivor, South Africa
- Dumisile, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Ntsiki Mpulo, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Ingrid Weideman, COVID-19 bereaved, South Africa
- Kapil Narain, COVID-19 bereaved, COVID-19 survivor, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Candice Sehoma, COVID-19 survivor, South Africa
- Leanne Brady, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Nikki Schaay, Healthcare worker, South Africa
- Paula Rodríguez Notario, COVID-19 Survivor, Spain
- Laura Girón, COVID-19 Survivor, Spain
- Anonymous, Vaccine trial participant, Spain
- Nuria Larrinaga Barea,COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Elena Alfaro Ruiz-Clavijo, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Paloma Notario Diaz, COVID-19 Survivor, Spain
- Anonymous, Vaccine trial participant, Spain
- Marta Iniguez, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Carlos Díaz, COVID-19 Survivor, Spain
- Atria Mier, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Anonymous, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Sandra Victoria Salazar Espitia, COVID-19 survivor, Spain
- Maite, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Liliana Suarez Navaz, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Roberto Gil Gordon, COVID-19 survivor, Spain
- Anonymous, Vaccine trial participant, Spain
- Anonymous, COVID-19 bereaved, Spain
- Luis Martinez Ros, COVID-19 bereaved ,Healthcare worker, Spain
- Nalini Ratnarajah, COVID-19 bereaved, Sri Lanka
- Pubudini Wickramaratne, COVID-19 bereaved, Sri Lanka
- Harry Prabowo, COVID-19 bereaved, Thailand
- Sofien Asta, COVID-19 survivor, Tunisia
- Joan Babirye, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, Uganda
- Joseph Abubanks Mwebaze, Healthcare worker, Uganda
- Anonymous, COVID-19 bereaved, UK
- Kathleen Zimak, UK
- Matheus Rossetto, COVID-19 bereaved, UK
- Anonymous, Healthcare worker, UK
- Elizabeth Baines, UK
- Sheila Cogley, Healthcare worker, UK
- Eileen Mcmanus, UK
- Paulo Roberto Rossetto, COVID-19 Survivor, COVID-19 bereaved, UK
- Saphal Gurung, Healthcare worker, UK
- Kazi R Begum, COVID-19 bereaved, UK
- Alka Makwana, COVID-19 bereaved Healthcare worker, UK
- Zheyuan Xie, Healthcare worker, UK
- Kazi Begum, COVID-19 bereaved, UK
- Anonymous, COVID-19 bereaved, United States
- Tristan Quinn-Thibodeau, COVID-19 survivor, United States
- Reshma Ramachandran, COVID-19 bereaved, Healthcare worker, United States
- Belle Koch, Healthcare worker, United States
- Jacob Hyman, Healthcare worker, United States
- Martha Tholanah, COVID-19 bereaved, Zimbabwe
- Tanya Charles, COVID-19 bereaved, Zimbabwe
- Glenda, COVID-19 survivor, Zimbabwe
