Pune, March 5: Adar Poonawalla, whose Serum Institute of India (SII) is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, have warned of delays in supply of vaccines against coronavirus (COVID-19) due to a decision of the US government, headed by President Joe Biden. According to a report, Adar Poonawalla told a World Bank panel that a US law blocking the export of certain key items need to make the COVID-19 vaccine could delay supply of shots. Serum Institute CEO Poonawalla Apprises Home Minister About COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout.

Poonawalla's warning follows the Biden administration's move to use the Defense Production Act to boost supplies needed to make Pfizer's vaccine against COVID-19. "This is one thing that would need some discussion with the Biden administration to explain to them there's enough to go around. We're talking about having free global access to vaccines but if we can't get the raw materials out of the US -  that's going to be a serious limiting factor," he was quoted as saying. Adar Poonawalla Receives Covishield Shot Manufactured by His Company SII, Says It Is a Proud Moment That Covishield Is Part of the Historic COVID-19 Vaccination Drive.

The SII is licensed to produce hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccines, developed by Oxford University-AstraZeneca and Novavax. His views were backed by World Health Organization's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan who informed that there were shortages of vials, glass, plastic and stoppers. "There is a shortage of materials, of products that you need for the manufacturing of vaccines," Swaminathan said.

"This is where again you need global agreement and coordination not to do export bans," she added. In order to discuss these issues, WHO's vaccine partners, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations and the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network, will hold meetings next week.

Despite disruption in supply of raw materials, Poonawalla said, the Serum has produced and distributed 90 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine to 51 countries in the past two months.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2021 12:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).