London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Gender equality at BioNTech made the impossible possible, founder says

Gender equality at BioNTech made the impossible possible, founder says

Dr Ozlem Tureci told a WHO briefing that gender equality helped the company act with such speed in developing a Covid-19 vaccine.

The co-founder and chief medical officer of BioNTech has credited its speed at producing a viable vaccine to the fact its workforce is more than 50% female.

Speaking on International Women’s Day, Dr Ozlem Tureci also said the fact women are so under-represented in decision-making roles in medicine was “destroying value” for stakeholders.

The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine was the first to be approved in the UK and Dr Tureci said it was BioNTech’s balanced workforce that “made the impossible possible” in creating a jab in just 11 months.

Dr Tureci told a World Health Organisation (WHO) briefing the lack of gender equality in patient care, medical research and the biopharm industry is “obvious every day”.

She added: “The higher the ranks, the more value-destroying (is) the lost opportunity of mobilising precious talent.”

"On the vaccine team in Oxford, two-thirds are female and all have worked incredibly hard for over a year, often while dealing with family responsibilities. However, of the senior positions on the team, only one-third are women"


According to WHO data, women make up 70% of the global health and care workforce, but occupy just 25% of decision-making roles.

Dr Tureci said: “At BioNTech, women make up 54% of our total workforce and 45% of top management.

“We like to think that being a gender-balanced team has been critical to making the seemingly impossible possible – developing a Covid-19 vaccine within 11 months without shortcuts.”

She said she was ready to “continue the marathon” of bringing Covid-19 under control with the women in her company and worldwide, adding: “This is why I very much want to see women enabled today and also tomorrow.”

Her words were echoed by the University of Oxford’s Professor Sarah Gilbert – co-founder of Vaccitech and the developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Prof Gilbert told the briefing: “On the vaccine team in Oxford, two-thirds are female and all have worked incredibly hard for over a year, often while dealing with family responsibilities.

“However, of the senior positions on the team, only one-third are women.”


Prof Gilbert said she was now working to understand the barriers to promotion women face at Oxford University, particularly as they are so well represented at junior levels.

“There are concerns that the pandemic has had more of an effect on the careers and livelihoods of women than men, and as we begin to make our plans for recovery we must not neglect this,” she said.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to Prof Gilbert and several others in a video posted on social media on Monday to celebrate all the women on the front line of the UK’s Covid-19 response.

Boris Johnson said Prof Gilbert’s work “helped to accelerate the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, meaning that manufacturing and the rigorous testing regime started early”.

In February, WHO launched its Gender Equal Health and Care Workforce Initiative to increase the number of women in leadership roles and promote equal pay.

It also aims to improve working conditions by protecting women from sexual harassment and violence and ensure equal access to personal protective equipment and vaccines for women and men.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×