The Oxford COVID-19 vaccine will only cost the Indian government $3 per dose, reveals Adar Poonawalla

• The CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla told CNBC-TV18 that a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the Oxford University and AstraZeneca would cost the government $3 — around ₹222.
  
• For private individuals looking to procure the COVID-19 out of their own pocket, it will cost ₹1,000 for both doses.
  
• He also revealed that the vaccine orders would first be opened to India and the World Health Organisation's COVAX before engaging in bilateral discussions with any other country.
  

The success of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine means that it may soon be available in India.

The CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), the company conducting the clinical trials of the vaccine in India, told CNBC-TV18 that a single dose would cost the government $3 (around ₹222). Those looking to buy the vaccine out of their own pocket will have to pay ₹1,000, but for both doses.


The vaccine has shown an average of 70% efficacy. Among the two dosage regimes, one showed efficacy of 90% while the other only gave 62% efficacy. In order to figure which one of the two works better for the Indian population will have to wait till mid-December when the results come in from clinical trials being conducted in the country.

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AstraZeneca is targeting to supply 100 million dosages per month, with a total of 400 million dosages by July 2021. SII is currently in the process of committing capacities to India and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) COVAX facility — bilateral talks with other countries will come later.

Poonawalla also revealed that SII would be applying for approval from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to start giving out the COVID-19 vaccine to the masses. Simultaneously, the company is also trying to get approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in India.

Poonawalla is hopeful that SII will obtain an emergency license before the end of the year.

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