India's expert panel rejects Pfizer's application for Covid-19 vaccine

Cites serious adverse events

India’s expert panel on Covid-19 drugs and vaccines has turned down US pharmaceutical major Pfizer's application for emergency use authorisation for its vaccine candidate -- already in use in the US and UK -- in the absence of any plan on the firm's part to generate safety and immunogenicity data in the local population.

Immunogenicity means the ability of a vaccine candidate to generate the desired immune response against the pathogen.

Pfizer on Friday said it had withdrawn its application, and would submit additional data as it becomes available in the near future.

India has insisted on having a safety