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Short abstract:

Two Colombian vaccine-related projects are under development. There are political and regulatory barriers that have to be overcome to make them successful and sustainable. Their objective is strategic independence rather than dominant competitive nationalism.

Long abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Latin America's health and socioeconomic conditions. The high inequity, the weakness of health systems, and the disparities between countries in producing their vaccines have been identified as sources of concern. In Colombia, despite the academic community's and civil society's calls to

produce vaccines, the national government was reluctant to promote local vaccine production at the beginning of the pandemic. However, there followed a change in the government’s position. One reason for this was the country’s critical technological dependence. Also relevant was the privileged place Colombian officials occupied on the executive boards at WHO and PAHO. Officials were soon aware that the governments of many other countries acknowledged the need to rebuild vaccine manufacturing capacity. The recent presidential elections in Colombia also help explain this change of position. Indeed, one of the local vaccine manufacturing projects is a private initiative funded by Colombia's largest health insurance company, based in Medellín, and which enjoyed the support of the previous right-wing government. The other project is a state initiative, based in Bogota, led by the center-left mayor and now supported by the new leftist president. Keeping in mind the developmental trajectories of these projects, there are regional and global political and regulatory barriers which have to be overcome. These include clinical trial coordination, intellectual property, post-authorization monitoring, or portfolio coordination. The ultimate objective is strategic independence rather than dominant competitive nationalism in Latin America´s vaccine production system.