Just as the United Kingdom delayed the acceptance of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Canada too is yet to accept the India made vaccine despite WHO’s approval for emergency use. According to a spokesperson at the Canadian High Commission, the list of approved vaccines for Canada include Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. A media report states that the timing of completion of Health Canada’s review depends on several factors like additional data, discussion with sponsors and safety information.
A Times of India report quotes the Canadian HC spokesperson saying, “Covid-19 drug and vaccine submissions are reviewed on an expedited timeline, above the usual performance standards, without compromising safety, efficacy and quality standards, due to the public health need…Timing of the completion of Health Canada’s review depends on many factors, including but not limited to a need for additional data, discussions with sponsor and requirements for updates to safety information."
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that it has granted approval for Indian drugmaker Bharat Biotech’s home-grown COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use listing, paving the way for it to be accepted as a valid vaccine in many poor countries.
The WHO tweeted that its technical advisory group had ruled that benefits of the shot, known as Covaxin, significantly outweighed the risks and that it met WHO standards for protection against COVID-19.
The decision had been delayed as the advisory group sought additional clarifications from Bharat Biotech before conducting a final risk-benefit assessment for the vaccine’s global use.
WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization also recommended Covaxin’s use in two doses, with an interval of four weeks, in age groups 18 and above. These recommendations are in line with the company’s guidance.
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