Covid: Pfizer says it told India there no safety concern with its vaccine

New Delhi - Pfizer said it is holding fresh talks with the government after having withdrawn its initial application in February.

Pfizer said on Monday it told the Indian government that there was no concern over the safety of its Covid-19 vaccine, as India insists on small local trials for foreign shots despite a record surge in infections and shortage of doses.

The government in mid-April made it easier for foreign vaccines approved in the West and Japan to sell in India, though companies would still have to initiate a local clinical trial within 30 days of receiving emergency use authorization. Previously, companies were required to do the trial prior to approval.

Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna have been invited to sell their vaccines to India but none have applied to do so yet.

Pfizer, however, said it is holding fresh talks with the government after having withdrawn its initial application in February over the earlier local trial rule.

"Pfizer's application for emergency use authorization was supported with data that shows an overall efficacy rate of 95% with no safety concerns," a company spokeswoman told Reuters, when asked if it had sought an exception even to the current trial rule in its discussions with the government.