AS the Drug controller of India (DGCI) approval received for 3 vaccine a tug of war intensified between pharma companies and political parties creating more confusion amongst common men. meanwhile the chairman of Bharat Biotech – whose coronavirus vaccine Covaxin has been given “restricted use in emergency situation in public interest” – hit out Monday at critics flagging the lack of Phase III trial data and questioning the drug’s efficacy. “We don’t deserve this backlash,” Dr Krishna Ella said.
Addressing a virtual presser, Dr Ella said his company had carried out “200 per cent honest clinical trials”, had an established track record in producing 16 safe and efficacious vaccines, and was transparent with all data.
“Don’t accuse us of inexperience. We are a global company… have manufactured 16 vaccines. It is not correct to say we are not transparent with data. We conduct clinical trials in many countries, including the UK. The point is we are not an Indian company… but a global one,” he stressed. serum institute CEO Adar Poonawala also raised question on Covaxin and said many questions raised on early approval .
Congress leader SHASHI THAROOR also raised query on twitter . he said
should please clarify. Its use should be avoided till full trials are over. India can start with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the meantime.
Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Sunday revealed the prices of Covishield and disclosed that his company has fixed two different prices for the vaccine.
Poonawalla announced that COVIDSHIELD price for govt will be rs 250 per dose and the vaccine will be available in the private market for Rs 1,000. According to Poonawalla, Serum’s Covishield is cheaper than the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and its transportation is also easy as compared to Pfizer’s vaccine. Poonwalla also said that his company, which is based in Pune, is making 50-60 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine every month.
