As Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson have not applied for the licence in India, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has urged both the pharma companies to apply for emergency use authorisation for their Covid-19 vaccine so that application is processed well in time.
Apart from Covishield, Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V, Moderna’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine has also received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the DCGI. The Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that over 40.31 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been provided to states/UTs in the country and more than 1.92 crore balance and unutilised jabs are still available with them and private hospitals.
DCGI has written twice to these two pharma companies but they have not applied. Sources in the government said the indemnity clause has emerged as a point of contention in the talks with Moderna and Pfizer. US vaccine makers Moderna and Pfizer have been insisting on an indemnity clause before committing to supplying their Covid-19 vaccines to India. As DCGI approved Moderna, Cipla will import the vaccines from the US but there has been no decision on legal indemnity so far.
In a statement, the ministry said 83,85,790 more doses are in the pipeline.”More than 40.31 crore (40,31,74,380) vaccine doses have been provided to states/Union
Territories (UTs) so far through all sources, and a further 83,85,790 doses are in the pipeline. Of this, the total consumption, including wastages, is 38,39,02,614 doses (according to data available at 8 am Thursday),” the ministry said.
More than 1.92 crore (1,92,71,766) balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states/UTs and private hospitals to be administered, it said.
The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination programme commenced from June 21.
Under the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the states/UTs by providing them the vaccines.