News Analysis India

Tag: Pfizer

  • After Moderna, Pfizer too says no to Punjab on vaccine supply, state urges Centre to intervene

    By Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH:  After Moderna, another Covid vaccine manufacturer Pfizer has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab, citing its policy to only deal with the Central government, state nodal officer (vaccination) Vikas Garg said on Monday.

    Following this development, the state government wrote a letter to the Centre urging the latter to intervene and ask these companies to supply the vaccines to the state government. 

    “Today we have written to Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry, who deals with vaccination, to deal with these companies on our behalf so that these vaccine manufacturers can supply us the vaccines at the earliest,” he said.

    Garg said the company, in a communication to the state, said: “Pfizer is working with federal governments across the world to supply its Covid vaccine for use in national immunisation programmes.

    ALSO READ | ‘Important but impractical’: Experts on vaccinating class 12 students before board exams

    “Our supply agreements at this time are with national governments and supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision that governments take based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach Pfizer has followed across the world,” the pharma major said.

    Garg said that all vaccine manufacturers were approached for direct purchase of various Covid vaccines. We had approached manufacturers of Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson as per the directions of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of vaccines from all possible sources to ensure early inoculation in the state. 

    He said that now the State is still hoping for a positive reply from Sputnik V and Johnson and Johnson.

    The state was forced to stop vaccination for Phase I and II categories in the last three days because of non-availability of the vaccine.

    Punjab has so far received about 45.3 lakh vaccine doses from the Centre.

  • Pfizer, Moderna vaccines effective against COVID variants found in India: Study

    As of today, India registered 2,81,386 fresh infections were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry #39;s data.

  • Discussions on with Indian government for expedited approval of COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Pfizer is in discussions with the Indian government for an expedited approval pathway to make Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available in the country, its chief Albert Bourla said on Monday, while stating that the firm is donating medicines worth USD 70 million (over Rs 510 crore) for treatment of COVID-19 patients in India.

    “We are deeply concerned by the critical COVID-19 situation in India, and our hearts go out to you, your loved ones and all the people of India,” he said in a mail sent to Pfizer India employees that he posted on linkedin.

    Pfizer is committed to being a partner in India’s fight against this disease and is quickly working to mobilise the largest humanitarian relief effort in the company’s history, he added.

    “Right now, Pfizer colleagues at distribution centres in the US, Europe and Asia are hard at work rushing shipments of Pfizer medicines that the Government of India has identified as part of its COVID treatment protocol,” Bourla said.

    Pfizer is donating these medicines to help make sure that every COVID-19 patient in every public hospital across the country can have access to company’s medicines they need free of charge, he added.

    “These medicines, valued at more than USD 70 million, will be made available immediately, and we will work closely with the government and our NGO partners to get them to where they are needed most,” Bourla said.

    ALSO READ | Canada to start to get Pfizer vaccines from the US next week

    This effort, in combination with Pfizer Foundation funding that supports humanitarian organisations providing essential and life-saving equipment to India, such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators and consumables, is our most comprehensive humanitarian relief response ever, he added.

    He also said that the company is aware that access to vaccines is critical to ending this pandemic.

    “Unfortunately, our vaccine is not registered in India although our application was submitted months ago.

    We are currently discussing with the Indian government an expedited approval pathway to make our Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available for use in the country,” Bourla said.

    Pfizer stands in solidarity with all those currently affected by COVID-19 in India and around the world and will continue to do everything possible to provide assistance, he added.

    “As we work to meet the public health need and to be a partner with the Government of India to establish a path forward for our vaccine, please know you and your loved ones are foremost in our thoughts and prayers,” Bourla said.

    Earlier in April, Pfizer said that it had offered a not-for-profit price for its vaccine for the government immunisation programme in India.

    “Pfizer remains committed to continuing our engagement with the government towards making the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine available for use in the government’s immunisation programme in the country,” the company had said in April in email response to PTI.

    The Indian government last month allowed emergency use approval of the imported vaccines in India which have been granted emergency approval for restricted use by United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK MHRA), Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Agency (PMDA) Japan or which are listed in WHO (emergency use listing).

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  • Pfizer-BioNTech to get EU 200 million more COVID-19 shots

    By PTI
    BERLIN: Pfizer and BioNTech said Wednesday they have reached an agreement to supply the European Union with another 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine.

    The US and German companies said in a statement that the doses come on top of the 300 million initially ordered.

    The EU’s executive Commission has an option to request a further 100 million doses.

    They said the 200 million doses are expected to be delivered this year, with an estimated 75 million of them in the second quarter.

    The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the first of three so far to be approved for use in the EU, which faces criticism for a slow start to its vaccination campaign.

    The other two approved vaccines are from Moderna and AstraZeneca.

  • Pfizer suggests COVID vaccine as ‘perfect gift’ for valentine’s day in parody ad on Jimmy Kimmel show

    By Online Desk
    CHENNAI: A hilarious COVID-19 vaccination advertisement that was originally shared on the Jimmy Kimmel show is doing the rounds on the internet.

    This parody advertisement of the Pfizer vaccination describes it as the ‘one shot at the perfect gift’ for valentine’s day.

    The advertisement that is now viral shows a man ‘proposing’ to his partner with a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The video takes a hilarious turn as it goes on to say ‘Don’t just be her somebody, be her anti-body.’

    You only have one shot at the perfect gift… #ValentinesDay pic.twitter.com/GocYXZMG0q
    — Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) February 11, 2021

    It then urges its viewers to ‘inoculate yourself with COVID-19 vaccine’. As the video comes to an end, it takes another comical turn, saying ‘The COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer..not available anywhere’

    The ad even impressed Indian businessman Anand Mahindra, who took to Twitter, to share the video. “Vaccines are forever”, he tweeted and also tagged the CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla. “Hilarious. @adarpoonawalla you have a readymade advertising brief”.

    Hilarious. ⁦@adarpoonawalla⁩ you have a readymade advertising brief. Vaccines are forever… pic.twitter.com/smFjCBTH6l
    — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 11, 2021

  • COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer withdraws Emergency Use Authorisation application in India

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Pharma major Pfizer on Friday said it has decided to withdraw its application for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine in India.

    Pfizer was the first pharmaceutical firm to seek an emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for its COVID-19 vaccine in the country, after it secured such clearance in the UK and Bahrain.

    “In pursuance of the Emergency Use Authorisation of its COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer participated in the Subject Expert Committee meeting of the Drug Regulatory Authority of India on February 3. Based on the deliberations at the meeting and our understanding of additional information that the regulator may need, the company has decided to withdraw its application at this time,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

    ALSO READ | With 12,408 new COVID-19 cases, India’s tally reaches 1,08,02,591

    Pfizer will continue to engage with the authority and resubmit its approval request with additional information as it becomes available in the near future, the statement said.

    “Pfizer remains committed to making its vaccine available for use by the Government in India and to pursuing the requisite pathway for emergency use authorisation that enables the availability of this vaccine for any future deployment,” the spokesperson said.

    Pfizer in its application submitted to the drug regulator in December 2020, had sought permission to import the vaccine for sale and distribution in India, besides waiver of clinical trials on Indian population in accordance with the special provisions under the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, official sources had said.

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  • Japan Plans To Vaccinate Ages 65 And Above, Frontline Workers In First Round

    As the Japanese health ministry announced earlier that it will start the mass inoculation campaign by June 2021, the country’s health minister Tamura Norihisa said at a press conference that the government aims to prioritize vaccination for the vulnerable older population aged 65 and above. He told reporters that at least 36 million occupants in the nursing homes located in different prefectures of Japan, of which an estimated 8.2 million are people with co-morbidities, such as heart, kidney, and lung ailment, will get vaccinated in the first stage of the mass vaccination campaign. 

    Norihisa added that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare was working in collaboration with SNS in conducting a nationwide survey to identify the more vulnerable population and compile a 2020 year-end report to allocate urgent remedies such as vaccination, housing stimulus, and other public and financial welfare benefits. He added, that the Japanese government was reviewing the adverse events associated with the Pfizer vaccines that were reported in the US such as anaphylactic symptoms, post which Japan will approve vaccines for the emergency use authorization, and begin the vaccination programme. Japan’s frontline healthcare workers and the medics will be injected with the first jabs for protection, the Japanese health minister added. Vaccine purchases will be made by the government using reserve funds from the budget of the current fiscal year to March 2021.

  • Over 6,00,000 UK Citizens Inoculated With Pfizer’s Vaccine In Largest Programme

    More than 600,000 people in the UK have been administered the first dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as part of one of the largest vaccination campaign. Between December 8 and 20, an estimated 616,933 people were inoculated in the UK, 521,594 in England, 56,676 in Scotland, some 22,595 in Wales, and close to 16,068 in Northern Ireland, according to the figures published by the British Department of Health and Social Care. “UK government has procured doses on behalf of the entire UK,” the department informed. 

    In collaboration with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the Pfizer vaccines were first administered to the vulnerable and elderly nursing home residents aged 80. The health and social care teams rolled out the first batches across 500 vaccination sites in England on Wednesday, December 16. The UK government prioritized the most populous home cares with 50 to 70 beds first. This comprised of 2,900 care homes across England. The department of health staff vaccinated at least 7 care homes first in areas—Slough, Aintree, Herne Bay, Thanet, Chalfont St Peter, Droitwich, and Cheltenham, as well as Chelsea Pensioners.

  • COVID-19 Vaccines Effective Against New Strain Of Virus, Says German Minister

    The European Union (EU) experts believe that the existing COVID-19 vaccine candidates against the novel coronavirus are also effective against the new strain that is rapidly spreading across the Uk except Northern Ireland. German Health Minister Jens Spahn told public broadcaster ZDF that based on the knowledge the authorities have so far about the variant, the new strain “has no impact on the vaccines” because they remain “just as effective”. 

    Spahn made the claim citing “talks among experts of European authorities” while referring to the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech that is already being administered in several countries including the United States and the UK. Pfizer’s vaccine is also set to receive approval from the European Medicines Agency. As the new strain continues to spread in the UK, EU health ministry spokesperson reportedly said that the union’s experts held a meeting on December 20.

  • Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized By US FDA, Second Vaccine After Pfizer

    The United States of America FDA authorized the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on Friday. Millions of doses will be shipped across the country affected the most by the pandemic. This marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s vaccine shots. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved by the UK on December 2, followed by other countries including the United States.

    Millions of doses are set to arrive by Monday after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health, as per AP reports. “With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M Hahn to PTI.