Today, Benedict XVI voiced his full support to the "Advance market commitment" (Amc) scheme, which aims at producing vaccines against pandemic diseases and supply them to the poor countries. During the audience, the Pontiff thanked the group of Finance Ministers and other leaders, including the Queen of Jordan, who promoted the initiative: "I encourage your efforts to promote scientific research aimed at discovering new vaccines that will help prevent the death of many people, including a large number of children, in those areas of the world that are most at risk. At this time of globalisation he added we are worried about the increasing gap between the living standards of the countries that have wealth and a high level of technological development and the under-developed countries in which poverty persists and is increasing". "The vaccination scheme concluded Benedict XVI tries to fight this trend, because it tries to create future vaccine markets, especially for vaccines that can prevent infant mortality. Every service rendered to the poor is a service rendered to peace". As he took leave from the Pope on behalf of the participants in the audience, Minister Padoa-Schioppa said that "infective diseases kill about 10 million people a year. Most of them could be spared if vaccines were available".
