Covid-19 Vaccine: 'Frivolous Claims Cause Skepticism,' SII CEO Proposes That Govt Protect Manufacturers

"When frivolous claims come up, and something is blown out of proportion in the media, skepticism sets in.." Adar Poonawalla said as he proposed that the government protect vaccine manufacturers from such claims.

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New Delhi: Serum Institute of India (SII) Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla's latest statement has become a subject of wide discussion as he expressed that Vaccine manufacturers should get protection against all lawsuits for their vaccines especially during the pandemic.  While speaking at a virtual panel on the challenges of developing a Covid-19 vaccine at the Carnegie India's Global Technology Summit on Friday, he further revealed that the vaccine makers are going to propose this to the government. "We need to have the government indemnify manufacturers, especially vaccine manufacturers, against all lawsuits. In fact, COVAX and other countries have already started talking about that," Poonawalla said. According to him, "frivolous claims" when "blown out of proportion" can become the cause of skepticism over vaccines in the general public. "It is because when frivolous claims come up, and something is blown out of proportion in the media, skepticism sets in that definitely something can happen due to the vaccine and to dispel that, the government needs to step in to spread the right information," he said. "..the government can act, the US, for example, has in fact invoked a law, to say that during a pandemic, and this is especially important only during a pandemic, to indemnify vaccine manufacturers against lawsuits for severe adverse effects or any other frivolous claims which may come about because that adds to the fear and also will bankrupt vaccine manufacturers or distract them if they have to just all-day fight lawsuits and explain to the media what is happening," Poonawalla added. Last month, a 40-year-old man who took part in the 'Covishield' vaccine trial in Chennai had sued Pune-based SII, claiming serious side effects that include a virtual neurological breakdown and impairment of cognitive functions. He had also sought Rs 5 crore compensation in the legal notice to Serum and others, besides seeking a halt on the trial. Refuting the charges, Serum had said, "It is evident that the intention behind spreading such malicious information is an oblique pecuniary motive. The Serum Institute of India will seek damages in excess of Rs 100 crore for the same and will defend such malicious claims". WATCH | Corona Vaccine: After Pfizer, Moderna gets approval in US