India, Pfizer Seek To Bridge Dispute Over Vaccine Indemnity: Report

India pledged last month to fast-track approvals for overseas vaccine makers including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.

Pfizer and the Indian government are seeking to resolve tensions over a demand by the US drugmaker for legal protection from any claims linked to the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in one of the world's biggest markets, two sources told Reuters. India has not given any manufacturer of a COVID-19 vaccine indemnity against the costs of compensation for any severe side effects, which is a condition Pfizer has obtained in many countries where its shots have already been widely used, including Britain and the United States. But three other sources told Reuters that some form of legal protection is still on the table as India and Pfizer work to reach a vaccine deal Reaching an agreement with Pfizer is critical for the centre, which is struggling to secure needed COVID-19 vaccine doses as recorded daily cases exceed 250,000. Indian officials said this week that 98% of its population of about 1.3 billion remains susceptible to infection.