Serum Institute stopped Covishield production in Dec 2021, says Poonawalla; claims there are no takers for booster shots as people are fed up

Published On 2022-10-21 07:00 GMT | Update On 2022-10-21 07:01 GMT

Pune: Chief Executive Officer of Serum Institute of India (SII), Adar Poonawalla, on Thursday said the vaccine manufacturer stopped the production of Covishield vaccine starting December 2021, and of the total stock available at that time, around 100 million doses had already got expired. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN), he said booster vaccines have no demand as there is general lethargy among people and also because they are fed up with the pandemic.

"Since December 2021, we stopped the production (of Covishield). We had a stock of a few hundred million doses at that time and of that, 100 million doses have already expired," said Poonawalla when asked about the update on the Covishield vaccine.

He said the SII's vaccines are allowed to be mixed.

"Now, Covovax should be allowed in two weeks. So I think they will and should probably have the policy to mix boosters. If WHO allowed it, then maybe the Indian regulator will and should allow it. But again, boosters have no demand at the moment. There is lethargy generally. People are fed up of COVID, vaccines. To be honest, I am also fed up with it. We all are," he said.

Going forward, when people take a few shots every year, they may take anti-coronavirus vaccines and other shots together, Poonawalla said, adding, "It will become that kind of a product."

"In India, there is no culture of taking flu shots as we see it in the West. We tried when we launched a few vaccines in 2010. During the H1NI pandemic in 2011, no one took it. Flu is not something that sounds scary to people. They just do not want to take it," he said.

Covishield was produced at the SII's Pune facility with a master seed from Oxford University and AstraZeneca. The SII had announced its partnership with Oxford University to manufacture the vaccine in April 2020.

Article Source : PTI

Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.

NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.

Ruchika Sharma

Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751

Comments Policy

Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Serum Institute stopped Covishield production in Dec 2021, says Poonawalla; claims there are no takers for booster shots as people are fed up

Similar News

Amritsar: 1.08 lakh Tramadol tablets seized, 1 held

Roche Pharma commits 1.5 billion Swiss franc investment in India over next five years

Mankind Pharma Secures Interim Injunction Against Biodiscovery Over Fendikind, Zenkind, Kind Trademarks

Drugs Inspector's Powers Continue Post-Transfer, No Fresh Notification Needed: Karnataka HC

Torrent Pharma Slapped Rs 60.28 Lakh NPPA Notice for Alleged Overcharging

India's USD 12 billion MedTech sector set to surge to USD 20 billion by 2030: Dr Jitendra Singh

Lupin gets USFDA OAI status for Pithampur Unit 2 facility

Zydus Lifesciences Secures CDSCO Panel Approval for Usnoflast Capsule Interaction Study