SII reduces price of its Covid-19 vaccine from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose for states

SII CEO said the reduction in prices would save thousands of crores of state funds and enable more vaccinations and save countless lives

Amid uproar over vaccine prices, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) on Wednesday announced a Rs 100 reduction in the per dose price of Covishield offered to state governments.

“As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of Serum Institute of India, I hereby reduce the price to the states from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose, effective immediately,” Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of SII said.

He said the reduction in prices would save thousands of crores of state funds and enable more vaccinations and save countless lives.

Read: Maharashtra government will not start Covid-19 vaccinations for ages 18 to 44 from May 1

Under the new vaccine policy unveiled by the Central government, the SII had offered to sell its Covid-19 vaccine – Covishield – to state governments at Rs 400 per dose and to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose.

The central government said that it would continue to purchase the vaccine at a special price of Rs 150 per dose from SII.

Bharat Biotech, the homegrown vaccine maket, had offered Covaxin to state governments at Rs 600 per dose and to private hospitals at Rs 1,200 per dose. The Centre would continue to buy it at Rs 150 per dose.

The differential pricing of vaccines had triggered an uproar with opposition parties demanding a uniform price across the country. The opposition parties had asked the Centre to fund the entire vaccination drive.

As per the new vaccination policy, those in the age group of 18 years to 45 years would be eligible for vaccination from May 1. However, those in this age group will have to get vaccines either through the state government or through private hospitals.

The Centre had said it would offer free vaccination only to the vulnerable groups of 45 years and above, besides healthcare workers and frontline workers.