With just five days left before India starts its nationwide inoculation drive on January 16, the Government on Tuesday released a price-wise comparison chart of all the vaccines in the world, claiming the two deployed by India are among the cheapest.
The Government has procured 55 lakh doses of Covaxin from the Bharat Biotech at a cost of `206 per dose. This is in addition to 1.1 crore doses of Covishield vaccine it procured from Serum Institute of India at a cost of `200 per dose
“Pricewise our vaccines are the cheapest in the world,” said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday as he sought to refuse allegations that the Government has shelled out higher prices for purchasing the two vaccines.
Talking to the press reporters here, he pointed out that US pharma giant Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine will be priced at `2,800 for two doses while Moderna’s will cost anywhere between `2,300 to `2,700 per dose. One vaccine developed by China has been priced at `5,600 per dose while another Chinese vaccine will be made available in India at `1,200 per dose.
Sputnik-V, the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Russia will cost `734 per dose while the one developed by Johnson & Johnson is also expected to be priced at `734 per dose, he added.
Asked about the vaccines approved by Indian regulators, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said both Covishield and Covaxin have established safety and immunogenicity. “All preparations are on track for vaccine rollout. It will be a sequential rollout, depending on availability,” he added.
NITI Aayog member and chairman of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) Dr VK Paul said, “We should have no doubt that the two vaccines approved are the safest of the vaccines. Side effects are negligible. There is no risk of any significance, let’s be reassured. We are telling you this truthfully and with responsibility.”
Bhushan said that the country’s regulators are looking at four more Covid-19 vaccines in the pipeline. Among these are the vaccines developed by Zydus Cadilla, Russia’s Sputnik-V, Biological E and Gennova.
Zydus Cadilla completed the Phase 2 clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine in December of last year and has been granted approval for Phase 3. Similarly, the Phase 2 clinical trials of Russia’s Sputnik-V Covid-19 vaccine has also concluded and Phase 3 trials are being carried out by its Indian partner Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
In the case of Biological E, the Phase 1 clinical trials of its vaccine started in December and Phase 2 is expected to begin in March. Gennova’s RnA-based Covid-19 vaccine is currently in Phase 1 with Phase 2 clinical trials likely to begin in March of this year, said Bhushan.
