Expert panel recommends emergency use of COVAXIN with riders

AFTER COVISHIELD, expert panel recommends granting conditional approval for restricted emergency use of  COVID vaccine Covaxin.  Covaxin, the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, became the second vaccine in India kept waiting for the final approval for emergency use. The subject expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Saturday recommended Covaxin for restricted emergency use. On Friday, Serum Institute of India’s Covishield was given the recommendation. COVAXIN will now have to wait for the final approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) as India has launched mega mock drill for vaccination of  COVID-19 across the diverse nation. As  Hindustan Times, a popular English daily reports    Bharat Biotech had applied for emergency-use authorisation first on December 7. The expert panel at that time asked the firm to submit its safety and efficacy data from the ongoing phase 3 clinical trial for further consideration. The expert panel looked into the details of both Covishield (Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine) and Covaxin (Bharat Biotech), it asked Bharat Biotech to expedite volunteer recruitment for the ongoing third phase trial.