TORONTO —
Even if a COVID-19 vaccine is found soon, it could still take a while for life to return to normal, according to new research from the United Kingdom that highlights a series of potential problems that could prolong the pandemic.
The report, issued by the Royal Society, a scientific body in the U.K., delves into the timeline of vaccine production and serves as a reality check on a series of “enormous” problems researchers predict in terms of making and delivering the potentially life-saving doses.
It will take time for researchers to determine whether or not a vaccine candidate offers long-term protection, and long-term studies will be necessary to confirm whether the vaccine actually lasts, or if additional doses or boosters are needed.
“Few vaccines give lifelong protection following a single dose,” researchers point out in their report, published Thursday.
Scientists racing to find a vaccine will also need to carefully study safety, and it’s possible that cases of harmful side effects could emerge and potentially cast public doubt on the vaccine. Those cases could also become fodder for anti-vaxxer groups who already oppose the vaccine, and researchers say “clear messaging to target groups” will be necessary to ensure public trust.
“Rare adverse events or limited effectiveness in the field may only come to light when very large numbers of people are vaccinated,” researchers wrote.
Hundreds of vaccine candidates are being tested globally, and at least nine have reached stage three, meaning they’re in the final step as scientists study whether the vaccines can stop the virus from infecting the body.
And while researchers with the Royal Society say it’s possible that a successful vaccine could be available as soon as next spring, they describe these vaccines as “the first generation” and warn that they may be “suboptimal.”
It’s also possible that, due to incredible demand and various global outbreaks, certain countries could be prioritized over others in the beginning.
When a vaccine is deemed safe and effective, manufacturers will need to rapidly scale up production capacities to meet international demand. Such a feat won’t be achieved overnight, and it’s possible that only certain groups will be supplied the vaccine to start. At the same time, manufacturing will still need to meet demand for other vaccines.
What the vaccine is actually made of will come into play, and the scale of manufacturing will depend on the ingredients involved, the number of doses needed and how long it takes to make.
“Production may be limited by supply chains of materials and delivery systems,” researchers wrote.
THE BIGGEST BOTTLENECK
Even after a vaccine is ready to go and manufacturing is meeting unprecedented demands, researchers say the most important hurdle could come as health-care workers try to administer the vaccine to the general population. They say the solution will require an all-hands-on-deck approach.
“To address this administration challenge, additional staff will need to be trained (e.g. pharmacists, midwives, physiotherapists, dentists and vets) to immunise the population rapidly and safely,” researchers wrote.
Accounting for existing health care inequalities will be important when delivering the vaccine to marginalized groups, researchers say. Other studies have suggested that racialized groups in the U.S. and the U.K., particularly the Black community, are more likely than white people to become infected and suffer severe consequences of the virus. A new report from the University of Toronto suggests that Indigenous, Black and South Asian Canadians are significantly more at risk than white Canadians of having multiple pre-existing conditions that put them at greater risk of complications or death from COVID-19.
Because of this, researchers say officials must be clear which groups are being prioritized to receive the vaccine earlier than others and why.
“There should be public dialogue and engagement to manage expectations and understanding of vaccine effectiveness, safety, side effects, availability and access,” they wrote.
Little is known about when a vaccine will be ready. A new survey of 28 experts in vaccinology led by researchers at the University of McGill found that most experts believe it’s unlikely that a vaccine will be ready by early 2021, as some U.S. officials have predicted. Instead, they say the summer of 2021 is the earliest “best case scenario,” while others believe it will take until 2022.
Similar to the Royal Society report, the researchers agreed that there could be some false starts before a successful vaccine is found.
“The experts we surveyed believe that there is a 1 in 3 chance that the vaccine will receive a safety warning label after approval, and a 4 in 10 chance that the first large field study will not report efficacy,” said postdoctoral fellow Patrick Kane, the report’s lead author, in a statement.
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
