Did Centre help Bharat Biotech in developing Covaxin?

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has been surrounded by controversies since the start of the vaccination process in January this year. At first, it was the 'questionable' emergency approval of the vaccine, then its pricing announced last week.

And now, it is chairman Krishna Ella's comments regarding the role of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its vaccine's development.

The vaccine maker on Saturday announced that its vaccine will cost Rs 600 per dose for states and Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals. The company seems to be going against its own word, as Ella in 2020 had said that Indian vaccines including Covaxin, would cost less than a bottle of water.

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To add to its trouble, Ella said in an interview last week that no government funding was used for Covaxin's development, even in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, wherein the company spent close to Rs 350 crore.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) has listed ICMR for "monetary and material support" in Covaxin's phase 3 trials in which 25,000 people participated. ICMR also reportedly helped in Bharat Biotech's pre-clinical testing and human trials.

In a response to the Lok Sabha, MoS Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that over Rs 25 crore of the ministry's budget was engaged in work "related to development of vaccine candidates and pre-clinical studies". It is not mentioned in the reply how much of this was earmarked for Covaxin.

The company has said that it will supply more than 50 per cent of its production to the Centre at Rs 150 per dose, while the higher rates for states and private entities are required for R&D funding.

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"As a company, we would like to have the maximum price possible. So, we want to recover as much as possible. All clinical trial costs and all other costs, and then put it back for R&D. We need the cash," Ella told NDTV.

In addition to this, the Department of Biotechnology awarded a grant of Rs 65 crore early April to help Bharat Biotech's Biosafety Level (BSL) 3 facility online, but the details of this grant are also shrouded in secrecy.

IE reported that the Finance Ministry changed rules that would allow the Health Ministry to pay the company Rs 1,500 crore in advance for doses of Covaxin.