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Indian pharma industry capable of producing coronavirus vaccines for entire world: Bill Gates – Times of India

Jul 16, 2020, 04:54PM ISTSource: TOI.in

According to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, India’s pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce Covid-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world. A lot of ‘very important things have been done’ in India and its pharma industry is doing work ‘to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases’, said the co-chair and trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He added that India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density. Commenting on the strength of India’s pharma industry, he said, ‘India has a lot of capacity there – with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere- starting with Serum Institute, that’s the largest. But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases. I am excited that the pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. (This is) What we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic.’