French President Macron pledges €200 million to aide France’s medical research to counter Covid

France’s President Emmanuel Macron and the top pharmaceutical company Sanofi have today (Tuesday) announced a plan to strengthen the production of medicines in France during an international rush to cure the Covid-19 virus.

SANOFI is currently focusing on two vaccines and has pledged €610 million to create two French facilities for production and development of a vaccine.

President Macron also donated €200 million in aid of domestic research and medicine manufacturing whilst stating that the government would announce plans this week to reopen some pharmaceutical facilities in France.

Macron announced that “Everybody saw that during this crisis some commonly used drugs were no longer produced in France and Europe. So, we must no longer just ask questions, but draw the conclusions.”

At this time there are no authorised treatments for coronavirus, and the world’s drugmakers are rushing to change that, whilst governments ensure that they are in line for supplies.

The issue became a sensitive point in France after Sanofi suggested that US patients may get first call over a vaccine after more funds were invested by Washington.

In a speech at Sanofi’s Marcy-L’Étoile facility on Tuesday, Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson looked to smooth tensions with France’s government, reiterating that the company was devoted to helping the company revive its healthcare system.