NEW DELHI: Vaccine manufacturers must have protection against all lawsuits by vaccinations especially during a pandemic, the executive director of the Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla has said.
He also said that vaccine makers will propose this to the government, while speaking on a virtual panel about the challenges of developing a Covid-19 vaccine at the Carnegie India Global Technology Summit on Friday.
“We need the government to indemnify manufacturers, especially vaccine manufacturers, against all lawsuits. In fact, COVAX and other countries have already started talking about it, “Poonawalla said.
This is because when frivolous claims come up and something is exaggerated in the media, skepticism sets in that something can definitely happen because of the vaccine and to dispel that, the government must step in to spread the right information, he said. additional.
“… the government can act, the United States, for example, has in fact invoked a law, to say that during a pandemic, and this is especially important only during a pandemic, to compensate vaccine manufacturers against lawsuits for effects serious adverse or any other frivolous claims that may come up, because that increases fear and will also bankrupt vaccine manufacturers or distract them if they just have to fight lawsuits all day and explain to the media what is happening, “he said. Poonawalla.
These are some things the government can do and that is what the vaccine manufacturers are going to propose, he added.
Last month, Serum had rejected allegations that a 40-year-old man who participated in the ‘Covishield’ vaccine trial in Chennai had criticized the company, alleging serious side effects, including virtual neurological breakdown and impaired function. cognitive.
He had also asked for a 5 million rupee compensation in a legal notice to Serum and others, in addition to asking for the trial to be suspended.
Refuting the charges, Serum had said: “It is clear that the intent behind the dissemination of malicious information is an indirect pecuniary motive. The Serum Institute of India will seek compensation in excess of Rs 100 million for the same and defend such claims ( is”.
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