In final stages,' says Pfizer CEO on approval of its COVID vaccine in India

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], June 22 : US pharmaceutical major Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla on Tuesday said the company is in the "final stages" of getting approval for its COVID-19 vaccine in India.
Bourla held discussion with Medanta Chairperson Dr Naresh Trehan over vaccine doses for children in India.
"I hope we will finalise an agreement with the government very soon," Bourla said while speaking at the 15th Annual BioPharma and Healthcare Virtual Summit of USA India Chamber of Commerce.
"We need to get first approval for a vaccine in India that we do not have yet and then to sign an agreement to send doses of our vaccines to India," he said. "We have donated critical care life medicines to India," he further added.
According to the Indian government sources, a discussion with the company is still underway and seems to be resolved soon. The US pharma giant has indicated that it will provide around five crore vaccine doses to India.
Pfizer's demand for the indemnity is a key condition for the supply of its doses in India.
Indemnity provides protection to vaccine manufacturers against legal proceedings and costs of compensation for severe side effects among those who received the shots.
Pfizer has obtained indemnity in several countries where its vaccine is already in use, including the United States.