COVID-19: Health Min Harsh Vardhan launches CSIR partnered clinical trials website 'CUReD'

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday, October 20, launched an online portal that provides comprehensive information about the numerous COVID-19 clinical trials that CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) is engaged in a partnership with Industry, ministries, and other government departments.

The website called 'CuRED' or 'CSIR Ushered Repurposed Drugs' gives information about the drugs, diagnostics and devices including the current stage of the trials, partnering institutions and their role in the trials and other details, according to the official release of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

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Vardhan praises CSIR's efforts in fighting COVID

The Union Minister praised the CSIR's efforts in being at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and giving preference to clinical trials, generating data for their regulatory approval and supporting launch drugs and diagnostics in the market. The ministry further informed that CSIR is exploring various combinations of clinical trials of anti-virals with host-directed therapies for the potential treatment of COVID-19.

Adding further it said that CSIR is also working with the AYUSH Ministry for conducting clinical trials of AYUSH drugs. CSIR has further undertaken safety and efficacy trials of AYUSH prophylactics and therapeutics based on individual plant-based compounds and in combination, the ministry said. Furthermore, CSIR has also been involved in clinical trials of diagnostics and devices.

Meanwhile, Dr. Vardhan also emphasised that wearing masks, social distancing and other precautions must be duly followed by the people in order to fight the COVID-19 battle as the scientists are working on developing drugs and vaccines.

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The virtual event was attended by Dr. Shekhar C Mande, Secretary, DSIR and DG-CSIR, Dr Ranjana Aggarwal, Director, NISTADS and Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam, Senior Principal Scientist and Head, Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate CSIR HQ. CSIR Directors, Heads of Departments, and Scientists involved in Clinical Trials also joined the event virtually.

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