"Government's commitment to science is unequivocal: an additional 1.2 billion euros in next Budget", says Pedro Sánchez

Laboratories of the pharmaceutical company Rovi, San Sebastian de los Reyes (Madrid)

The President of the Government underlined the value of public-private collaboration and the government's commitment to science, which he described as unequivocal, as can be seen in the 60% rise in direct investment in R&D+i contained in the next National Budget. "It is important that this commitment lasts over time and is not limited to a particular situation", said Pedro Sánchez.

The pharmaceutical company Rovi has an agreement in place with the company Moderna, responsible for one of the most advanced vaccines in the market, to produce the doses at its Spanish plants as from the start of 2021. Pedro Sánchez expressed his gratitude at the company's commitment to manufacture in Spain, because this decision gives our country strategic autonomy, while recalling that Spain has "first-class health professionals and scientists".

The arrival of this vaccine opens up "a new era of hope, of the start of the end of the pandemic, with all the caution that we must logically follow", said Pedro Sánchez.

Alliance between politics and science

The future National Budget, which may be approved at the end of the year, increases the investment by the Ministry of Science and Innovation by 1.2 billion euros on the previous Budget, or 59.4% more in all items related to research, development and innovation.

The government has also approved an Action Plan for Science and Innovation with a provision of more than 1 billion euros and has pushed through a Pact for Science and Innovation with scientific, academic, business and trade union associations. "I feel that MPs, regardless of their political leaning, are aware that it is necessary to have a State Pact for Science that guarantees national security, on the one hand, and on the other hand, economic progress,", declared the President of the Government.

At the same time, the Ministries of Science and Innovation, and of Universities, are drafting important regulatory projects that will revolutionise science in Spain, attracting and consolidating talent while improving the working conditions of researchers and doing away with job insecurity in the sector.

The President of the Government underlined that "one of the lessons we must take away from the pandemic is precisely that science actively contributes to national security".

Vaccination Plan

The President of the Government recalled that the Council of Ministers has approved a Vaccination Plan, and that Spain is only the second European country to do this.

The aims of the Spanish Vaccination Plan, summarised Pedro Sánchez, include reducing the morbidity and mortality of the most vulnerable groups.

Pedro Sánchez called for a homogenous response at a national and a European level, "from the design of Christmas, as we are doing at this time (…) through to the vaccination", while praising the collaboration with the regional governments in the vaccination strategy. "At the end of the day, the primary care centres and doctor's surgeries are where we will vaccinate the Spanish people", he recalled.

The Spanish Vaccination Plan will have 13,000 vaccination points and will guarantee access for priority groups to the vaccine through a single vaccination strategy designed with a multidisciplinary group of experts.

Fair access to the vaccination will be facilitated and organised by the National Health System, based on primary care and universal access, while an information system and register will be provided to monitor and evaluate the vaccinations.

European vaccination strategy

The Government of Spain forms part of the European vaccination strategy, which seeks to guarantee global and fair access in protecting the whole population.

The European Union has already signed six contracts for more than 1.3 billion doses, that can be extended, and is well advanced in talks for other contracts in the coming days. Spain will receive around 10% of the doses being purchased.

Non official translation