COVID-19: India in talks to buy 50 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, report says

New Delhi: India is in talks to buy 50 million doses of Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE’s COVID-19 vaccine, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Pfizer and the Indian health ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comments. The drugmaker has not yet sought permission for use of its vaccine in India.

The country, which rolled out one of the world’s largest vaccination drives earlier this year, has been relying heavily on the AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India and a home-grown shot produced by Bharat Biotech.

Authorities are also in an advanced stage of negotiations with Johnson & Johnson, which has a deal with India-based Biological E. Ltd, to manufacture as many as 600 million doses, starting as soon as this month, the Journal reported.

Last week, the country approved J&J’s one-shot vaccine for emergency use, adding to the vaccines from AstraZeneca, Bharat Biotech, Russia’s Gamaleya Institute and Moderna, that have been granted such approval.

Meanwhile, Federal Health Ministry said that over 2.25 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are available with the States, Union Territories and private hospitals, and the vaccines are yet to be administered.

“More than 2.25 Crore (2,25,03,900) balance and unutilised COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs and private hospitals to be administered,” the ministry stated in a press release.

Further, the ministry informed that the Central Government has provided 53,24,44,960 Covid vaccine doses to the states and UTs, of which, the total consumption, including wastages, were 51,56,11,035 doses.

72,40,250 vaccine doses are also in pipeline, the ministry informed.

“More than 53.24 crore (53,24,44,960) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far, and a further 72,40,250 doses are in the pipeline. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 51,56,11,035 doses, as per data available at 8 am today,” Union Health Ministry stated.