Govt Must Indemnify Vaccine-Makers From Lawsuits: SII’s Poonawalla

File photo of SII CEO Adar Poonawalla.

(Photo Courtesy: Serum Institute)

Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) implored the government to protect vaccines manufacturers from "frivolous lawsuits."

Speaking at the Carnegie India's Global Technology Summit on Friday, 17 December, Poonawalla said that such lawsuits can increase fears amongst people about taking the vaccine.

Such lawsuits, Poonawalla said, could distract manufacturers or even bankrupt them.

“We need to have the government indemnify manufacturers, especially vaccine manufacturers, against all lawsuits. In fact, Covax and other countries have already started talking about that. What’s happening is when frivolous claims come up, and you see in the media something blown out of proportion,” Poonawalla said at the virtual summit.

This comes as the Serum Institute remains engaged a lawsuit by a Chennai trial participant seeking Rs 5 crore over damages which allegedly resulted from the trial vaccine.

The volunteer claimed that the company didn’t pay heed to the severe neurological side-effects that Covishield trials triggered in him until he filed the lawsuit. He also sought for the trials and further manufacturing plans to be suspended.

Several governments worldwide are looking at indemnification clauses for COVID vaccine manufacturers. Earlier in June, officials from AstraZeneca had said that they have been granted protection from product liability claims regarding its vaccine from most of the countries that it struck deals with.

Other vaccines, like the ones being developed by Pfizer and Moderna have also been indemnified in the US under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.