Legal News and Insight around the Globe!

Covishield Vaccine: AstraZeneca sends legal notice to SII over delay

astrazeneca vaccine law insider

Mahima

The England-based multinational drug firm has sent a legal notice to its manufacturing partner, Serum Institute of India over delay in supply of Covid-19 vaccines.

This notice was served after SII delayed shipment to UK and failed to meet its obligations to other countries under Covax programme.

SII has credited the deal to Centre’s decision to go slow on vaccine exports citing the surge in second wave of Covid-19.

According to media reports, Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII, had stated that domestic needs are going to be prioritized for the time being.

He said, “The globe needs this vaccine and we are prioritising the needs of India at the moment and we are still short of being able to supply… to every Indian that needs it”.

He further added that in order to scale their production they needed around Rs.3,000 crore as they are not earning any super profits and their only profit is from the exports..

An upsurge in demand for vaccines has been seen with the broadening of government’s immunisation drive which relaxed the eligibility criteria making everyone above 45-years-old eligible for vaccination.

Two vaccines are being administered in India which includes SII’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

SII has supplied a hundred million doses to Centre and exported 60 million doses.

Company is positive that the matter would be resolved soon as the rising Covid-19 cases are creating shortages and supply constraints which everyone is aware of.