The first COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by a Canadian company will “very likely” not get the green light for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its ties to the tobacco industry.

The Quebec-based biopharmaceutical company Medicago’s vaccine marks the world’s first-ever plant-based jab for human use. The vaccine, called Covifenz, It’s also owned by tobacco company Philip Morris International — so the process is put on hold because it’s well known that the WHO and UN have a very strict policy regarding engagement with tobacco and arms industries. It’s very likely that it will not be accepted for emergency list using by WHO. Medicago’s COVID-19 vaccine is listed as “not accepted” in the WHO’s expression of interest phase.

Canada has a contract for 20 million doses and an option for up to 56 million more, but Canada does not need them. More than 85 per cent of Canadians over the age of five are now fully vaccinated and going forward Canada is relying almost solely on the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Canada had promised to donate any excess vaccines it purchased to COVAX. If the WHO rejects Medicago’s vaccine, Canada won’t be able to donate any of its doses to the Covax alliance, which is desperate for doses to reach its goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of people in every country by July.