August 2, 2024
Saugata Ray’s supplementary questions on whether Bharat Biotech has been questioned about initially not filing a joint patent with ICMR-NIV for Covaxin and the counts of the shots manufactured and shots exported, and to which countries
Sir, I perused the Minister’s reply very carefully. There is no doubt that Covaxin is a good vaccine for COVID-19 and it is internationally accepted as such also. But, there is a strange case. The Covaxin was developed and discovered by the National Institute of Virology under the Indian Council of Medical Research. The National Institute of Virology spent Rs. 35 crore on developing the vaccine. The Minister has given the breakdown of how this Rs. 35 crore was spent, including Rs. 20 crore for the Phase-III clinical trial. But a strange thing happened. The patent which was initially filed was filed alone by a company called, Bharat Biotech International Limited. There was a huge publicity. One Mr. Krishna Ella in the initial application did not mention ICMR. Later, there was hulla over there in the media. Then, they, finally, jointly filed an application. I want to know clearly from the hon. Minister whether the Ministry has questioned the Bharat Biotech and why they did not file a joint application. If they have not filed, what punitive steps have been taken against them instead of giving them awards like Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri? इसेपहलेनकसनेनिसकवर नकया?… सर, अगर ऑनिानरी लोग होते, तो inadvertently जो आईसीएमआर का नाम देना नमस हो गया, उसके नलए उसको पननश नकया जाता, क्योंनक ये लोग इांफ्लूएनांसयल लोग है, इस नलए इनके नखलाफ कोई कदम नहीं उठाया गया। मैंयह पॉइांट आउट करना चाहता ह ां। मैंरा यह सवाल है। The Covaxin was very effective during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also exported abroad. The hon. Prime Minister claimed that Bharat has become Vishwa Guru, if we talk about Covaxin, etc. Would the hon. Minister tell us how many shots of Covaxin were manufactured in India, and how many shots were exported abroad to how many countries? : आपकेपास िेटा नहीं है? क्वेश्चन तो इसी के साथ जड़ुा हुआ है। …
