Centre fast-tracks approval for foreign-produced Covid-19 vaccines to push inoculation drive
With an purpose to increase the basket of COVID-19 vaccines and improve the tempo of inoculation in India, the central authorities on Tuesday mentioned it has fast-tracked emergency approval for foreign-produced jabs which were granted comparable clearances in different international locations.
The first 100 beneficiaries of such overseas vaccines shall be assessed for seven days for security outcomes earlier than it’s rolled out for additional immunization programme throughout the nation, the Union Health Ministry mentioned.
The Centre’s choice got here after an skilled panel advisable that COVID-19 vaccines which have been developed and are being manufactured in overseas international locations and which have been granted emergency approval for restricted use by authorities within the US, Europe, the UK, Japan or that are listed within the WHO Emergency Use Listing could also be granted emergency use approval in India.
The skilled panel additionally mandated the requirement of post-approval parallel bridging scientific trial rather than conduct of native scientific trial.
“This decision will facilitate quicker access to such foreign vaccines by India and would encourage imports including import of bulk drug material, optimal utilization of domestic fill and finish capacity, etc., which will in turn provide a fillip to vaccine manufacturing capacity and total vaccine availability for domestic (use),” the ministry mentioned.
Currently, two vaccines — Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and Covishield by Serum Institute of India (SII) — are getting used for inoculation in India. India’s drug regulator has additionally granted permission for the restricted emergency use of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V with sure circumstances on Monday.
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