‘No Differential Pricing for COVID Vaccines’: West Bengal Moves SC

“The reasons for the differential pricing is not transparent, and will result in lower coverage”: West Bengal To SC.

The West Bengal government moved the Supreme Court on Friday, 7 May, to seek a cap on differential vaccine pricing and to direct the Centre to fix a uniform rate. The state asked for free vaccines to be given under a universal campaign.

West Bengal, in a prayer, as part of an affidavit filed by the state in the suo motu case taken up by the SC on COVID asked for the Centre to seek the advice of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority on the vaccine policy, reported Live Law.

Pointing out that the costs of the two vaccines, Covaxin and Covishield are different and likely to double, the state, as per the report, said in its affidavit.

“The basis for such differential pricing for each vaccine is not founded on any intelligible differentia and is per se manifestly arbitrary and discriminatory”.