'Protect vaccine-makers from lawsuits': Serum chief Adar Poonawalla's request to Modi govt

ar Poonawalla, chief of world's largest vaccine maker, has said that vaccine manufacturers need to have protection against all lawsuits for ir vaccines, especially during a pandemic.  CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) also said that vaccine-makers are going to propose this to government, while speaking at a virtual panel on challenges of developing a COVID-19 vaccine at Carnegie India's Global Techlogy Summit on Friday.

' government needs to step in'

"We need to have government indemnify manufacturers, especially vaccine manufacturers, against all lawsuits. In fact, COVAX and or countries have alrey started talking about that," Poonawalla said.

"It is because when frivolous claims come up, and something is blown out of proportion in media, scepticism sets in that definitely something can happen due to vaccine and to dispel that, government needs to step in to spre right information," he ded.

".. government can act, 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 verse effects or any or frivolous claims which may come about because that ds to fear and also will bankrupt vaccine manufacturers or distract m if y have to just all-day fight lawsuits and explain to media what is happening," Poonawalla said.

SII rejects charges

"se are a few things that government can do and that is what vaccine manufacturers are going to propose," news ncy PTI quoted him as saying. 

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Last month, Serum Institute h rejected charges that a 40-year-old man who took part in 'Covishield' vaccine trial in Chennai h levelled against company, alleging serious side effects, including a virtual neurological breakdown and impairment of cognitive functions. He h also sought Rs 5 crore compensation in a legal tice to Serum and ors, besides seeking a halt on trial.

Refuting charges, Serum h said, "It is evident that intention behind spreing of such malicious information is an oblique pecuniary motive. Serum Institute of India will seek dams in excess of Rs 100 crore for same and will defend such malicious claims".

India surged past 1 Crore COVID-19 cases on Saturday, official data showed, second-highest in world although new infection rates have fallen sharply in recent weeks. Over 95 lakh recoveries and 145,136 deaths have been reported so far, according to Union Health Ministry.

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(With PTI inputs)