India is now facing a major vaccine shortage in the country. This is one of the reasons that India is considering agreeing to grant non-Indian COVID-19 vaccine producers such as Pfizer Inc indemnity against legal liability so it can use them in the immunization campaign as reported by Reuters. This would also FastTrack other vaccines to supply to India as sources have mentioned that “if one company gets it then all of them get it.” Pfizer has not sold vaccines to any country without receiving indemnity against legal action in case of unpropitious effects caused by their product. The drug regulator of India has already dismissed the condition of conducting trials specific to India for vaccines approved in some countries and by the World Health Organization (WHO)
When infections were at a peak in India during the month of April, India asked Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson to sell their respective vaccines in India, however, a deal has not been signed as of yet. The Pfizer vaccines are expected to be delivered in August and that the initial receivers of the vaccine will be monitored before a mass vaccination drive takes place. Pfizer has not yet commented on its discussions with India regarding the vaccine but we do know that the price of the vaccine is being negotiated at $10-$12 per dose.
