New Delhi (NVI): Covishield, the Covid-19 vaccine being manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) today got approval for emergency use in India by the subject expert committee of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
With this, the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and pharma major AstraZeneca, has become the first vaccine to secure recommendation for emergency use approval in India.
However, the final nod will be given by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) even as a meeting of the expert panel was underway. The final approval is expected to come by today itself.
The SEC has given its nod for the emergency use authorisation (EUA) on certain conditions.
SII and AstraZeneca have partnered up to manufacture and distribute the vaccine in India and several other countries.
The CDSCO expert panel met for the second time this week to deliberate over the COVID-19 vaccines. Discussions were also underway to approve Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin.
Argentina and the United Kingdom have already given emergency use approval to Covishield and started the vaccine rollout process.
The development comes a day before the nationwide dry run for Covid-19 vaccines across the country. Under the initiative, vaccine shots are expected to be transported to cold storages across the country.
India has the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the world after the US. The recommendation of an affordable Oxford vaccine on the first day of New Year has raised hopes for vaccine availability in the country soon as millions of people await vaccination.
-ARK
