May 25, 20211 min read

Pfizer Says Talks Underway With Centre On Bringing Covid Vaccine To India

New Delhi: To bring the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in India, discussions are underway between the central government and Pfizer Inc. In a statement on 24 May 2021, Pfizer spokesperson said: "Pfizer's discussions with the GOI are ongoing and we are hopeful to bring the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in the country. We are unable to divulge further details at this moment."

On state procurement tenders, the US vaccine maker said it will supply vaccines only to central governments. "Pfizer will supply COVID-19 vaccine only to central governments and supra-national organisations for deployment in national immunization programs. Allocation of doses and implementation plan within a country is a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance," it said.

Pfizer said that the development, manufacturing, distribution and storage of complex innovative products, including the mRNA technology, requires globally optimized supply chains.

"Since the beginning of this pandemic, Pfizer's priority has been to ensure rapid manufacturing and deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine to cater to the current emergency response scenario. We have a robust supply chain currently in place with established capabilities - one each in the US and one in Europe - that can quickly manufacture and deploy the vaccine for use across the world," the spokesperson said.

Pfizer and BioNTech have set a target to deliver over 2.5 billion vaccine doses in 2021. This includes expanding the manufacturing capabilities and increasing the supplier base for key materials to the supply chain, said the company official.