Key Points
Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is ready to ramp up capacity of injectable poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV) to fill up the vacuum caused by France's Sanofi's shuttering of manufacturing plants in India..
In an interview to Vikas Dandekar and Teena Thacker, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said the company gives half of the total 20 million doses of IPV to the government's immunisation programme...
With SII currently being the sole supplier for IPV, he said it will take 3-4 months notice to provide additional doses of the vaccine..
It just doesn't make sense for most companies to make vaccines and supply at the current prices.SII has chosen to do it only as a service to the nation and this is very important to note..
In light of that, and with this in mind, we have made sure that we have enough stock for the Indian population as and when the health ministry floats new tenders or asks us for any extra vaccine, we can give it with 3 months' notice...
