On the recommendations of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the federal government has finalized the retail prices of COVID-19 vaccines imported by the private sector.
According to details, the two-dose Russian COVID-19 vaccine- Sputnik V- will cost Rs. 8,449 while China’s CanSino Biologics’ single-dose Coronavirus vaccine- Convidecia- will be priced at Rs. 4,225.
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Moreover, a four-dose pack of Sputnik V will cost Rs. 16,560, a 10-dose pack will be available at Rs. 40,555, and a 20-dose pack will be priced at Rs. 81,110.
Similarly, a two-dose pack of Convidecia will cost Rs. 8,449, a four-dose pack will be priced at Rs. 16,560, a 10-dose pack will be available at Rs. 40,555, and a 20-dose pack will cost Rs. 81,110.
Note that DRAP had devised two formulas for maximum retail prices of imported COVID-19 vaccines with a 40% mark-up for companies and an additional 15% for hospitals and laboratories.
Under the first formula, imported vaccines in finished form will be priced equal to the landed cost plus a 40% mark-up. Under the second formula, imported vaccines in bulk form and local repacks will be priced equal to landed cost plus packaging cost and 40% mark-up for companies.
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Last week, AGP Limited, a Karachi-based pharmaceutical firm, received the first consignment of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, consisting of 50,000 doses at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Just hours before the first batch of imported Russian vaccine was due in the country, the federal government repealed its decision under which it had allowed the private sector to set the prices of Coronavirus vaccines after importing them.
However, now, AGP Limited, the sole distributor of Sputnik V in Pakistan, has raised objections over the prices of different packs of the Russian vaccine fixed by the federal government.
AGP Limited has requested the federal government to review the existing prices of all the packs of Sputnik V so it can start distributing the Russian vaccine to all leading hospitals and laboratories.
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On the other hand, the first batch of Chinese CanSino Biologics’ single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, Convidecia, consisting of 10,000 doses will reach Pakistan on 25 March, AJ Pharma, the local partner of the Chinese company has confirmed.
A senior AJ Pharma official told that 100,000 doses of CanSino’s COVID-19 vaccine will be imported in April while 200,000 doses will be imported in May.
