No takers for Sputnik V vaccine; thousands of vials to go to waste

Thousands of vials of the Sputnik V vaccine will likely go to waste in Bengaluru because there are no takers for it given the almost-universal vaccination against Covid-19.

Private hospitals, which had procured the Russian-made Covid vaccine last year anticipating demand, say they don’t know what to do with the unused vials.

The vaccine has been supplied by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, the domestic manufacturer. As if the poor demand wasn’t bad enough, private hospitals are also in a bind over the expiry date of the vaccine. While Dr Reddy’s has extended the expiry date, hospitals are confused by a central government directive that bans the use of vials beyond the expiry date mentioned therein.

The high vaccination coverage in Karnataka has severely hit the demand for Sputnik V, whose two doses are to be administered 21 days apart. Each dose is priced at Rs 995 plus a service fee of 150.

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Over 99 per cent of the eligible population in Karnataka has received the first dose and nearly 90 per cent the second dose.

Vaximum, a firm that offers vaccination at home, has more than 1,000 doses of Sputnik V worth Rs 10 lakh. There are no takers.

“The stocks we received in August had a September expiry date. Since the government ramped up the free vaccination drive, there was absolutely no demand for Sputnik. With the serious slump, we have 1,100 doses that have expired,” said Dr Narsimha Murthy, Founder and COO, Vaximum.

Dr Reddy’s sent the firm a letter, stating that the expiry date of the vials has been extended from six months to 12 months by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. But at the same time, the Karnataka drugs control department has asked the firm not to use expired vaccines, Dr Murthy said. Dr Reddy’s is also silent on relabelling the stock, he added.

Miracle Health Clinic, located in Hosakerehalli, South Bengaluru, says it has 800 vials of the first dose and 400 of the second dose.

“Dose 1 has been extremely slow-moving. We had to purchase a minimum of 1,200
doses as per the company policy. Already, 99 per cent of the population has been vaccinated and there are no takers for Sputnik V,” an official at the hospital said.

This is what Dr Pradeep Haldar, an advisor to the central government’s reproductive and child health wing, said in a letter to the National Health Mission in Karnataka on December 23, 2021: “All vaccines, including Covid-19 vaccines, should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned on the label of each vaccine vial.”

A spokesperson for Dr Reddy’s told DH: “All of the stock in the market is in line with shelf-life conditions. We work closely with the regulatory authorities and hospital partners.

“We have received a shelf-life extension, and have communicated the same to hospital partners. All stocks being administered to beneficiaries are fully safe and compliant.”

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