NDTV-Dettol Banega Swasth Swachh India NDTV-Dettol Banega Swasth Swachh India
  • Home/
  • News/
  • DCGI Issues Guidelines For Pharma Giants Manufacturing COVID-19 Vaccine, Mandates Atleast 50 Per Cent Efficacy

News

DCGI Issues Guidelines For Pharma Giants Manufacturing COVID-19 Vaccine, Mandates Atleast 50 Per Cent Efficacy

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has said that a COVID-19 vaccine candidate should have at least 50 per cent of efficacy in the Phase-III clinical trial for it to be widely deployed

DCGI Issues Guidelines For Pharma Giants Manufacturing COVID-19 Vaccine, Mandates Atleast 50 Per Cent Efficacy
Highlights
  • The 3 important things for a vaccine are safety, immunogenicity, efficacy
  • Even WHO says that a vaccine needs to have over 50% efficacy: Dr Bhargava
  • We are aiming for 100% efficacy but may get 50-100%: Dr Balram Bhargava

New Delhi: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a new set of guidelines, focusing on safety, immunogenicity and efficacy parameters for pharma giants who are developing COVID-19 vaccines. The DCGI has said that a COVID-19 vaccine candidate should have at least 50 per cent of efficacy in the Phase-III clinical trial for it to be widely deployed and adequate data informing the potential risk of vaccine-associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease (ERD) needs to be generated.

Also Read: Coronavirus Explainer: What Is COVAX Initiative?

The comprehensive draft regulator guideline for the development of a vaccine with special consideration for the COVID-19 vaccine provides guidance to the vaccine developers to ensure that — vaccines are well-characterised and manufactured consistently.

The guidance reads that considering the urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine for prevention of COVID-19, clinical development programs of the COVID-19 vaccine may proceed through an adaptive and seamless approach including data to inform the potential risk of vaccine-associated ERD will be needed.

The document has highlighted that the use of COVID-19 preventive vaccines in pregnancy and in women of childbearing potential is an important consideration for vaccination programs.

There are three things for a vaccine–(i) the safety, (ii) immunogenicity, and (iii) the efficacy. Even, WHO says that if we can get more than 50 per cent efficacy that is an accepted vaccine. For respiratory viruses, we never get 100 per cent efficacy. We are aiming for 100 per cent efficacy but may get 50-100 per cent, Dr Balram Bhargava, ICMR, Director-General said on Tuesday while responding to a query on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine.

Also Read: 30 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates Under Development: Union Minister Harsh Vardhan

Dr Bhargava answered in view of the draft guidelines published by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for the development of a vaccine with special consideration for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The draft guidelines further say that the pharma companies for a statistical final analysis plan finalised before closing the trial database and unblinking treatment assignments (if these were blinded).

This should include any planned interim analyses, which should be adequately addressed in terms of purpose, timing, and any statistical adjustments required.

If a trial fails to meet the predefined criteria for superiority and/or non-inferiority with respect to any of the antigenic components, the possible reasons for the result and the clinical implications of it should be carefully considered before proceeding with clinical development or licensure, noted the guidance.

Safety assessments throughout clinical development and all pregnancies in study participants for which the date of conception is prior to vaccination or within 30 days after vaccination should be followed for pregnancy outcomes, including pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and congenital anomalies, it said.

Also Read: Nine Months Into The COVID-19 Pandemic, Which Vaccine Candidates Are In The Final Stages Of Trial? 

COVID-19 vaccine trials should periodically monitor for unfavorable imbalances between vaccine and control groups in COVID-19 disease outcomes, in particular for cases of moderate to severe COVID-19 that may be a signal for vaccine-associated ERD. Studies should include pre-specified criteria for halting based on signals of potential vaccine-associated ERD.

It has also recommended the pharmaceutical companies to use an independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) for vaccine-associated ERD and other safety signal monitoring, especially during later-stage development.

Also Read: Coronavirus Explained: What Are The Phases In The Clinical Trials Of The COVID-19 Vaccine?

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) 

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (WaterSanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollutionwaste managementplastic banmanual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.  

[corona_data_new]

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Highlights: Banega Swasth India Launches Season 10

Reckitt’s Commitment To A Better Future

India’s Unsung Heroes

Women’s Health

हिंदी में पढ़ें

This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics

© Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2024. All rights reserved.