'Why Is Centre Preventing Bharat Biotech From Sharing Vaccine Formula If They Are Ready?': CM Kejriwal

Last week, NITI Aayog member Dr. VK Paul today informed that Bharat Biotech was ready to share its formula after several states urged the Centre to share the formula with other vaccine manufacturers. 

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New Delhi: The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has raised a question to the Centre about the vaccine formula on Monday. He asked, why the Centre isn't allowing Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech from sharing its formula when the pharma-company has said that it is ready.

India is facing an acute shortage of Covid vaccine, which is why there is a discussion on letting other pharma companies use the existing vaccine formulas to create its own vaccines to expedite the vaccination drive as there will be more tried an tested vaccines available to the public.

Aside from Serum Institute of India's Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is the only other vaccine available to India which is currently battling the second wave of the pandemic. Earlier this month, the Centre opened the vaccination drive for the age group 18-44, while it was a much awaited move the vaccination drive couldn't not begin on time as many states just didn't have enough vaccines and of the 45+ group a large number was still waiting to get thier second dose. 

Last week, NITI Aayog member Dr. VK Paul today informed that Bharat Biotech was ready to share its formula after several states urged the Centre to share the formula with other vaccine manufacturers. 

Dr. VK Paul said, as reported by ANI, "People say that Covaxin be given to other companies for manufacturing. I am happy to say that Covaxin manufacturing company (Bharat Biotech) has welcomed this when we discussed it with them. Under this vaccine live virus is inactivated & this is done only in BSL3 labs."

"Not every company has this. We give an open invitation to companies who want to do this. Companies that want to manufacture Covaxin, should do it together. Govt will assist so that capacity is increased," he further told the news agency. 

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this month had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting other capable companies to manufacture the two COVID-19 vaccines - Covaxin and Covishield - being already produced in India, and said the Union government should do away with vaccine production monopoly using the patent law.

Aside from Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, wrote to the PM Modi to transfer the manufacturing technology Covaxin to other manufacturing companies, an ANI report said.