Poonawalla urges Joe Biden to lift ban on raw material exports

Taking to twitter, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawallar requested the US President Joe Biden to lift the ban on the export of raw materials used in Covid-19 vaccine preparation.

Business Desk, ETV Bharat: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Friday requested the US President Joe Biden to lift the ban on the export of raw materials used in the preparation of Covid-19 vaccine.

Taking to twitter, he said: “Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details.”

Early March, speaking at an event organised by the World Bank, Poonawalla expressed a similar opinion saying the US ban on raw materials under the Defence Act would hurt the vaccination programme.

"There are lot of bags and filters and critical items that manufacturers need. I will give you an example. The Novavax vaccine that we are a major manufacturer of, need these items from the US," he said at the event.

"Now the US has chosen to invoke the Defence Act, in which there is a sub-clause which prevents the export of critical raw materials required for their local vaccine manufacturers," Poonawalla added.

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