NEW DELHI: India has given the green light to the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca and three other candidate vaccines are awaiting authorization for emergency use (USA), Union Minister Prakash Javadekar confirmed on Saturday .
Sources had told TOI on Friday that the Indian drug regulator’s committee of subject matter experts (SEC) cleared the covers for Covishield, the Indian name for the Oxford vaccine, for emergency use in the country. .
The sources said the SEC’s recommendations come with certain conditions, such as that each vaccine recipient will be given a vaccine fact sheet prior to vaccination.
The manufacturer can also be asked to report adverse events every 15 days. The SEC has recommended the USA to administer two full doses of Covishield 4-6 weeks apart.
The Comptroller General of Drugs of India has yet to formally announce approval.
Covishield is the first coronavirus vaccine approved for emergency use in India, which has the highest number of infections after the United States.
Javadekar said that at least three more vaccines were waiting to be approved: Covaxin from local company Bharat Biotch, ZyCoV-D from Zydus Cadila and Sputnik-V from Russia.
“India is perhaps the only country where at least four vaccines are being prepared,” he said.
“One was approved yesterday for emergency use, Serum’s Covishield.” he said, referring to the fact that the AstraZeneca / Oxford injection is being done locally by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
IBS, the world’s largest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled around 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford injection.
The AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, which received its first UK approval on Tuesday, is cheaper and easier to use than some rival vaccines – major advantages in tackling a pandemic that has claimed more than 1.8 million lives worldwide. the world.
However, it has been plagued by uncertainty about its most effective dose since data published in November showed that a half dose followed by a full dose had a 90% success rate, while two full injections were 62% effective. .
The Indian regulator also received an emergency use request for the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc with Germany’s BioNTech, the first opportunity to secure regulatory approval in the West.
Meanwhile, a nationwide test was conducted on Saturday to assess field readiness for the vaccination process.
The exercise was conducted in all state capitals at at least three session sites.
Earlier today, the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that Covid-19 vaccines will be provided at no cost to all Indians.
(With input from Reuters)
Sources had told TOI on Friday that the Indian drug regulator’s committee of subject matter experts (SEC) cleared the covers for Covishield, the Indian name for the Oxford vaccine, for emergency use in the country. .
The sources said the SEC’s recommendations come with certain conditions, such as that each vaccine recipient will be given a vaccine fact sheet prior to vaccination.
The manufacturer can also be asked to report adverse events every 15 days. The SEC has recommended the USA to administer two full doses of Covishield 4-6 weeks apart.
The Comptroller General of Drugs of India has yet to formally announce approval.
Covishield is the first coronavirus vaccine approved for emergency use in India, which has the highest number of infections after the United States.
Javadekar said that at least three more vaccines were waiting to be approved: Covaxin from local company Bharat Biotch, ZyCoV-D from Zydus Cadila and Sputnik-V from Russia.
“India is perhaps the only country where at least four vaccines are being prepared,” he said.
“One was approved yesterday for emergency use, Serum’s Covishield.” he said, referring to the fact that the AstraZeneca / Oxford injection is being done locally by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
IBS, the world’s largest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled around 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford injection.
The AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, which received its first UK approval on Tuesday, is cheaper and easier to use than some rival vaccines – major advantages in tackling a pandemic that has claimed more than 1.8 million lives worldwide. the world.
However, it has been plagued by uncertainty about its most effective dose since data published in November showed that a half dose followed by a full dose had a 90% success rate, while two full injections were 62% effective. .
The Indian regulator also received an emergency use request for the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc with Germany’s BioNTech, the first opportunity to secure regulatory approval in the West.
Meanwhile, a nationwide test was conducted on Saturday to assess field readiness for the vaccination process.
The exercise was conducted in all state capitals at at least three session sites.
Earlier today, the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that Covid-19 vaccines will be provided at no cost to all Indians.
(With input from Reuters)
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