TL;DR Breakdown:
- Black marketers are offering unverified COVID-19 vaccines to VIPs in India.
- Several doctors warned against them as they might unhealthy and illegal.
An unverified COVID-19 vaccine is making rounds in the black market, targeting patients and residents in India, although the government hasn’t authorized the distribution of such drugs in the nation. Most of the people targeted in this trend are high-profile and were asked to send a certain amount of Bitcoin (BTC) in exchange for the vaccine. Doctors in the country warned against buying and taking such drugs due to uncertainties and questions of legitimacy.
COVID-19 vaccines offered to VIPs in India
According to the doctors, the majority of the VIPs offered the COVID-19 vaccines in exchange for Bitcoin are in the state of Karnataka, India. These vaccines were pitched to them even in the black market. However, several doctors in the country have red-flagged and warned residents not to receive drugs. This is due to uncertainties regarding their make, source, authenticity, including price.
The president of Indian Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (Phana), Dr. HM Prasanna, also confirmed the trend, saying he heard that certain vaccines are being administered to residents for Bitcoin. He also condemned the act, adding that “one must exercise caution (in such cases) and follow the government’s guidelines in this regard.”
Vaccines are still illegal in India
Meanwhile, the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the country is still considered illegal, as the government hasn’t approved. Regardless of whether other countries are using a particular vaccine to treat COVID-19 patients, using those same drugs in the country will be seen as an offense in India since the government hasn’t permitted it, the doctors explained. “Indian citizens must wait for the government to roll out the product through the Drug Controller General of India.”
The doctors also called on the government to tracks these vaccines being offered to the residents by black marketers.
