Bharat Biotech’s intranasal Covid-19 vaccine to cost Rs 325 at govt hospitals

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Bharat Biotech on Tuesday announced the price of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine iNCOVACC. The nasal vaccine is priced at Rs 800 per dose for private markets and Rs 325 per dose for the government. Five per cent GST will be added to the amount. This may bring the cost to around Rs 1,000 in private health facilities, including administration charges.

After the announcement, a few prominent hospitals have shown interest in buying the vaccine.

So far, all vaccines available in India are injectible. As per Bharat Biotech officials, the vaccine will roll out in the fourth week of January 2023 and one can book an appointment via Cowin.

iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

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Speaking to mid-day Dr Virendra Chauhan, centre head, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, said, "We have already contacted the Bharat Biotech and they informed us that on Tuesday they will announce the rate, which they have done. The company has asked us to contact them by Friday so we are planning to place an order. Apart from Mumbai, we have six hospitals so we are planning to place a single order for all. So along with the common people, corporate companies are also showing interest and inquiring about vaccine availability. According to the demand, we will plan to purchase the vaccine."

Dr Sujit Chatterjee, CEO, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, said, "We will purchase and administer the government-approved nasal vaccine only when we see a spike in COVID cases and it is out in the market and made available, which is likely to be in January."

Jitendra Haryan, CEO of Jaslok hospital, said, "if there are takers and the results are good, then why not."

Dr V Ravishankar, CEO of Lilavati hospital, said, "Currently, we don't see any demand and there is no plan to purchase the intranasal vaccine. We are continuing the vaccination which has been started earlier."