Third phase human trial of COVID-19 vaccine to commence in Bhubaneswar soon

third phase of human trial of indigeus vaccine against COVID-19, COVAXIN, will commence at a private hospital soon, an official said. search for a suitable vaccine for COVID-19 has almost come to final st, Dr E Venkata Rao, Principal Investigator in COVAXIN human trial and Professor in department of Community Medicine at Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital here said on Sunday.

IMS and SUM Hospital is among 21 medical institutes selected across country by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) where third phase trial would be conducted. indigeus vaccine, being developed by ICMR and Bharat Biotech has received approval of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for initiating third phase trial. After completion of first and second phase of trial with demonstrable safety profile and immugenicity, large-scale efficacy trial involving thousands of volunteers has been planned w, Dr Rao said.

Dr Rao, who is head of Preventive and rapeutic Clinical Trial Unit (PTCTU), said during this phase limit and eligibility/ screening criteria would be relaxed and several volunteers who are orwise apparently healthy would be recruited for trial.

Like previous phases, half of volunteers would receive placebo and remaining half would be administered COVAXIN in this phase. Even health care workers would be recruited for trial. volunteers would be followed up over a considerable period of time to look at efficacy of vaccine in preventing development of Corona disease, he said.

Rao said re had been a huge response and enthusiasm among people who had offered mselves to be volunteers for trial. He said persons above 18 years will be taken for human trial. interested volunteers for project could enrol mselves for trial by registering online at www.ptctu.soa.ac under section register for clinical trials, he said. 

(Im Credits: PTI)