Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest DTP (Triple) and measles vaccine manufacturer, has pledged wholehearted support to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). Announcing the support at an August gathering of global donors and international healthcare agencies, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman and managing director of Serum Institute reiterated Serum’s commitment to cut prices for its pentavalent vaccine by 60 per cent making it available at the lowest possible cost of $1.75 (approx Rs. 100).
This is in line with Serum’s philantrophic philosophy to further aid children’s health in developing countries and also assist GAVI’s mission by making vaccines available at the lowest affordable price to UNICEF and PAHO. Set up by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the GAVI is a Geneva-based public – private partnership aimed at improving health in the world’s poorest countries.
Serum’s pentavalent vaccine helps protect children against five potential killers, namely – diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B. Dr. Poonawalla highlighted the fact that Serum is making the commitment recognizing its moral responsibility to keep these vaccines as affordable as possible. He was speaking at the conference on fund raising for global immunization programmes organized by GAVI at London. The conference aims to raise $3.7 billion and immunize 243 million around the world.
Speaking at the GAVI alliance conference today, Dr. Poonawalla, said, “The very genesis of Serum Institute was a quest to make vaccines more affordable for the common man. The partnership with GAVI serves as a good platform for us to reach out to those poor nations and bring comfort to the millions of underprivileged across the globe. But while we recognise our moral responsibility to keep these vaccines affordable, I strongly believe that it is appropriate for other manufacturers, especially the big pharmaceutical companies, to also follow our lead and make vaccines available at more affordable prices; otherwise our effort to offer vaccines at lower prices will be defeated.”
Calling upon global donors to ensure long term funding beyond 2015, Dr. Poonawalla urged them to consider the boons of vaccination for children in the most vulnerable countries. Serum Institute is also developing affordable vaccines for GAVI against Rotavirus and Pneumococcal diseases. The company hopes to achieve WHO prequalification for these vaccines in the near future.
The GAVI Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialized and developing countries, research and technical agencies, civil society and other private philanthropists. GAVI support consists of providing life-saving vaccines and strengthening health – systems. In its first decade of work GAVI has financed the immunization of more than 288 million children and prevented more than 5 million premature deaths.
The launch of Serum’s Hepatitis-B vaccine in India acted as a catalyst to bring down the prices of the vaccine and make it affordable for the masses. The company’s products are exported to over 130 countries worldwide. The company and its chairman, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla were honoured with the Humanitarian Award by Sabin Vaccine Institute, USA, for providing quality vaccines at affordable prices.
Serum is the largest bio-pharmaceutical company in India, with leadership in the vaccines segment. The company’s current R&D efforts involve research for vaccines and other recombinant products in the field of oncology, nephrology, etc.