Coronavirus Vaccine

Serum Institute Applies For Emergency Use Authorisation For COVID-19 Vaccine

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Serum Institute of India has already manufactured 40 million doses of the vaccine under the at-risk manufacturing and stockpiling license it obtained from the Drugs Controller General of India

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Highlights
  • Emergency approval will save countless lives: Adar Poonawala, CEO, SII
  • Mr. Poonawala thanked PM Modi for supporting the vaccine research
  • SII's vaccine is logistically feasible for distribution in India: Expert

New Delhi: Vaccine major Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday (December 7) said it has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation for AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in the country. Earlier, the Indian arm of US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer became the first company to seek a similar approval from India’s drug regulator for Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 in the country, after securing such clearance in the UK and Bahrain.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine May Be Ready In Some Weeks, Vaccination To Begin After Scientists’ Nod: Prime Minister

Pune-based SII has collaborated with AstraZeneca and Oxford University for manufacturing the vaccine and is conducting phase-three clinical trials of the Covishield vaccine in India.

As promised, before the end of 2020, @SerumInstIndia has applied for emergency use authorisation for the first made-in-India vaccine, COVISHIELD, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala said in a tweet.

He further added, “This will save countless lives, and I thank the Government of India and Sri @narendramodi ji for their invaluable support”. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), SII has already manufactured 40 million doses of the vaccine under the at-risk manufacturing and stockpiling license it obtained from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

Official sources, citing the SII application, said the firm has stated that data from four clinical studies, two in the UK and one each in Brazil and India, shows that Covishield is highly efficacious against symptomatic and most importantly against severe COVID-19 infections.

According to sources, this vaccine is logistically feasible for distribution in the country’s both urban and rural parts as it can be stored at two to eight degrees celsius. Earlier on November 29, Poonawalla in a virtual press conference had said that the company was in the process of applying in the next two weeks for an emergency use licensure for Covishield.

Also Read: India Largest Buyer Of COVID-19 Vaccine With 1.6 Billion Doses, Experts Say This Could Cover 60 Per Cent Population

(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

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