India may soon protect foreign Covid vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer from legal liability. The news agency Reuters has given this news quoting three government sources. A source said, “Loss protection will be given. If one company gets it, it will be given to all.”
India offered to sell the vaccine to Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson during the second Covid wave in April. However, no deal has been done yet.
Pfizer has sold the vaccine to any country only after getting protection against legal action. At the same time, India has not given this protection to any vaccine manufacturer.
A demand from Pfizer accepted
The Government of India has accepted a demand of Pfizer. This was a demand to end the requirement of local trials in India for foreign vaccines.
A government official told Reuters that ‘hopefully the Pfizer vaccine will be delivered by August’. The official said that initially the foreign vaccine that will be given will be monitored and then it will be given on a large scale.
Pfizer declined to provide Reuters information about talks with the Indian government but said it has sought protection from harm from each country.
A source told the news agency that India is in talks for foreign vaccines at $10-$12 (about Rs 700-850) per dose. The European Union is paying $18.86 per dose for Pfizer’s vaccine.
SII has also asked for security
Serum Institute of India, the maker of Covishield, has sought exemption from any compensation. According to reports, Adar Poonawalla’s company has said that the rules and regulations and exemptions should be the same for all vaccine manufacturers, domestic and foreign companies. The company has said that not only Serum Institute but every vaccine manufacturing company should be given indemnity protection.
The meaning of this demand is that the company wants the company to be exempted from any damage caused by the vaccine or any kind of legal action. And in case of any such complaint, the government should deal with it.
