COVID-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Likely To Get Approval In India First

Mumbai: The COVID-19 vaccine, co-developed by the University of Oxford and drug manufacturer AstraZeneca, is likely to get emergency use approval first in India, a report has claimed.

Quoting unnamed “official sources”, PTI has reported that the vaccine would be approved here after the United Kingdom gives a go-ahead. The Indian drug regulator is looking at the UK, which sources believe may give its nod to the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine next week.

The vaccine known as Covishield is being manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India.

“Once the UK drug regulator gives its approval to the Oxford vaccine, the expert committee on COVID-19 at the CDSCO will hold its meeting and thoroughly review the safety and immunogenicity data from the clinical evaluations conducted abroad and in India before granting any emergency authorisation for the vaccine here,” PTI said quoting unnamed official sources.

The emergency approvals for Bharat BioTech’s Covaxin will take time as it is still in Phase 3 trials.

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