In a press conference held earlier in the day, Rajesh Bhushan, OSD-Ministry of Health, said that there were around 100 vaccines globally that were at different stages of development.
Bharat Biotech International and Cadila Healthcare are developing Covid vaccines in India.Covid vaccine: The Health Ministry on Thursday said that the clinical trials for Covid vaccine are yet to commence but the sites have already been finalised and trials will begin soon. In a press conference held earlier in the day, Rajesh Bhushan, OSD-Ministry of Health, said that there were around 100 vaccines globally that were at different stages of development. “But it is satisfying for us that there are two indigenous companies working on vaccines in India,” he said.
The ministry official said that Bharat Biotech International and Cadila Healthcare were developing Covid vaccines in India. “Both vaccines completed animal toxicity studies after proper approval. Animal toxicity studies are conducted on mice, rabbits and guinea pigs. These studies have already been concluded.”
“And the toxicity data in respect of both these vaccines has been shared with the Drugs Controller General of India. Thereafter, the DGCI has permitted these two vaccines to go in for phase-I and phase-II clinical trials. The site for the clinical trials have been finalised and now it will be started – it hasn’t started yet,” Rajesh Bhushan said.
#WATCH: Bharat Biotech & Cadila Healthcare are developing vaccines. Both vaccines completed animal toxicity studies after approval. DCGI has permitted these 2 vaccines to go in for phase 1 & 2 clinical trials. Trials yet to begin. Hope it begins soon: R Bhushan, Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/ZlgAolTUkY
— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020
When asked about the ICMR’s letter asking Bharat Biotech to finish clinical by August 15, the health ministry official said that the letter’s intent was only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns. “Please don’t read something which is not there in DG-ICMR’s letter,” he said.
Rajesh Bhushan also said that there was no community transmission yet in India. He said that even the World Health Organization had also not provided any standard definition of the localised outbreak and community transmission. “They (WHO) have given its member states the right to report after assessing the local conditions,” he added.
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