Pfizer in talks with India over expedited approval for COVID-19 vaccine: CEO

New Delhi: Pfizer is in discussions with the Indian government seeking an "expedited approval pathway" for its COVID-19 vaccine, CEO Albert Bourla said on Monday while announcing a donation of medicines worth 70 million USD to India.

"Unfortunately, our vaccine is not registered in India although our application was submitted months ago," Bourla, in a LinkedIn post, on Monday. "We are currently discussing with the Indian government an expedited approval pathway to make our Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available for use in the country.

"Pfizer group is committed to being a partner in India's fight against this disease and is quickly working to mobilize the largest humanitarian relief effort in our company's history," he added.

Bourla further said that they are donating medicines worth more than 70 million USD, to be made available for every public health facility in India free of cost.

"Donating to help make sure that every COVID19 patient in every public hospital across the country can have access to the Pfizer medicines they need free of charge. This includes steroid medications to reduce inflammation, anticoagulants to help prevent blood clotting, and antibiotics that treat secondary bacterial infections," Bourla said.

The country had started the COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16 with two vaccines -- Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited). It has also approved Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for usage in India.