A vial labelled with Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’. Photo: bharatbiotech.com
New Delhi: Pharma major Bharat Biotech on Thursday announced that it had reduced the price of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin to Rs 400 per dose to state governments from the earlier announced Rs 600.
This follows widespread criticism of the pricing policy, as Covaxin is available to the Central government at Rs 150 per dose.
“Recognising the enormous challenges in the public healthcare system, we have made Covaxin available to state governments at a price of 400/ dose”, Bharat Biotech said in its announcement.
Bharat Biotech – COVAXIN® Announcement – April 29, 2021 pic.twitter.com/RgnROIfUCe
— BharatBiotech (@BharatBiotech) April 29, 2021
The statement did not mention if the price for private hospitals, set at Rs 1,200 per dose, had also been revised.
Serum Institute of India (SII), manufacturer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca derived Covishield, had on Wednesday slashed the price of its vaccine candidate to Rs 300 per dose from the earlier Rs 400 for state governments.
The Centre has come under criticism for allowing vaccine manufacturers to set the prices instead of regulating them. Both Bharat Biotech and SII’s announcements came after reports said earlier this week that the Centre had asked the manufacturers to lower the price per dose.
(With PTI inputs)