Centre refutes reports of 'rejecting' Serum Institute & Bharat Biotech's COVID vaccines

Refuting media reports on rejection of two COVID-19 vaccines, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Wednesday said that report about rejection of Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech's emergency use authorisation of vaccine is fake. Several reports had stated Subject Expert Committee of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), had t cleared applications of Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech seeking emergency use of ir COVID vaccines. Drug Controller of India (DGCI) will take a final call on any vaccine's suitability.

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64 diplomats visit Bharat Biotech

Earlier in day, 64 diplomats visited premises of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech which is to produce Covid vaccine Covaxin. 6 vaccine candidates in clinical trial st in India premises of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech which is to produce Covid vaccine Covaxin. During visit, Bharat Biotech's Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella informed Foreign Heads of Mission that nearly 33% of global vaccines are produced in Hyderabad's Geme Valley. PM Modi has already visited Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad, where three vaccines are being manufactured.

Centre’s Principal Ecomic Advisor talks COVID vaccine, shares need for 'mass-scaling'

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said that re are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial sts being developed by various manufacturers in India. Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in pre-clinical st of which one of Coronavirus vaccine candidates is in pre-development st being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, official said. On December 2, UK became first country in world to authorise use of Pfizer and BioNTech for emergency purposes, thus, paving way for delivery of vaccines.

64 Foreign heads of mission visit Bharat Biotech; witness India's vaccine capabilities 

• Bharat Biotech - ICMR (BBV 152): Phase I & Phase- 2 clinical trials have completed. Phase-3 trials are ongoing at 25 centres across India with a total of 26,000 participants. Application for emergency use filed. 
• Cadila-Zydus (ZyCOV-D): Phase I clinical trials completed, revealing its safety. Enrolment and dosing of 1,000 volunteers for Phase-2 clinical trials completed, is likely to enter Phase III final st of clinical trials by December.
• Serum-ICMR & Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S): Globally, this vaccine is undergoing phase-3 clinical trials in Brazil. In India, enrollment for phase-3 clinical trials completed with 1,600 participants at 15 locations. trials were halted briefly when AstraZeneca paused trials due to a volunteer inflicted with a strange disease. After Oxford conducted safety evaluations, DCGI allowed India trials to resume. Application for emergency use filed.

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