Govt panel finds SII's quoted price for inactivated polio vaccine too high

Emerging as the lowest bidder, Serum Institute of India's (SII) quoted price for each dose of inactivated polio vaccine to be procured under the routine immunization programme is more than double the last purchase rate following which a government purchase committee has decided to request the Union health minister to negotiate the price with the firm.

Pune-based SII has quoted Rs 188 per dose of the vaccine excluding taxes for supplying 180 lakh doses which translates into an increase of 106.65 per cent in the price, official sources said Tuesday.

According to them, meetings of the Integrated Purchase Committee (IPC) was held under the chairmanship of Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on May 28, 31 and June 1 for procurement of 180 lakh doses of IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) for 2021-22 under Routine Immunization Programme.

The IPC found that the lowest price quoted by SII is considerably higher than the last purchase price of Rs 91 per dose excluding taxes and recommended for negotiation with the firm.

The IPC meeting was reconvened on May 31 and the committee asked the representative of SII for justification of price increase.

"The representative of the firm informed that they have participated in IPV tender for the first time and they have already quoted the best possible price of Rs 188.00+ taxes per dose and it is less than UNICEF price," a source privy to the development said.

The IPC asked the firm to revisit its quoted price following which in a communique to the Union health ministry on May 31, Prakash Kumar Singh, director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII said they will not be able to reduce the quoted price and requested the ministry to place order at the earliest so that they can plan the delivery schedule.

The next IPC meeting was held on June 1.

"IPC noted that the firm has not agreed to reduce its quoted price.

"Considering all the facts, the IPC noted that an increase of 106.65 per cent is very high and considering the urgency of this vaccine, decided to request health minister for negotiating with the firm at a higher level," the source said.