COVID-19 vaccine: Indian private sector can play a big role in global fight against Coronavirus, says Dr Fauci

Currently, India is testing its first indigenous vaccine (Covaxin) for COVID-19 infection.

Coronavirus vaccine: At a time when India has started human trials of its first indigenous Coronavirus vaccine, Dr Anthony S Fauci, one of the leading experts on infectious diseases across the world, believes that the private sector in India can play a big role in the global fight against Coronavirus. The statement by Dr Fauci had come while addressing an online symposium organised by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). He said that since Indian private sector is the leading manufacturer of vaccines in the world, the manufacturing capabilities will emerge to be important with an effective COVID-19 vaccine, The Indian Express reported.

Further, according to the report, Dr Fauci believes that the US National Institutes of Health will be working with Indian counterparts in a bid to show that Indian research and development capacity is integrated along with the global effects in producing vaccines for the novel Coronavirus. Currently, India is testing its first indigenous vaccine (Covaxin) for COVID-19 infection, which has been developed with joint efforts of the biotech firm Bharat Biotech and the ICMR.

Discussing the key aspects that will help reduce in lag between the trials and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine, Dr Fauci said that it is important to ensure regulatory standards and review, harmonised data monitoring which will foster comparability, and financing the advanced vaccine production.

Meanwhile, the Drug Controller General of India has also given its nod to human trials of ZyCov-D, another Indian COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila. A recent statement by a scientist with the Ministry of Science and Technology has noted that trials for vaccine candidates—Covaxin and ZyCov-D mark the ‘beginning of the end’ for the novel Coronavirus. According to the article, the scientist has also claimed that while the Coronavirus vaccine can be developed by many across the world, the production of desired quantities will not be feasible if the Indian manufacturers are not involved.