India's latest vaccine policy

  • The government declared that from June 21, vaccines for everyone above the age of 18 years would be procured by the Central government and distributed free to the States. 
  • This ended the month-­old controversial system of States being asked to procure vaccines for the 18-­44 years age group at prices announced by domestic manufacturers and import vaccines through open tenders. 
  • The Centre’s announcement came after the Supreme Court on May 31 held that the Union government’s policy of not providing free vaccines to those in the 18­-44 years age bracket was prima facie “arbitrary and irrational”.
THE NEW POLICY
  • Under the latest policy, the Centre said it will procure up to 75% of the doses of vaccines from manufacturers.
  • Private institutions can procure the remaining 25% of doses.
  • Fresh orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin had been placed by the Union government. 
  • In addition, it also placed an order for 30 crore doses of a protein sub­unit vaccine produced by Hyderabad­based Biological E.
  • Regulatory requirements for approved imported vaccines have been relaxed and they can be used almost immediately upon receipt.
  • The government has waived the requirements of bridging trials and testing of each batch at the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli. 

                                                



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