Recommendation for DCGI nod for restricted emergency use of two COVID-19 vaccines is good news for country, say doctors

By Ambuj Pandey
New Delhi [India], January 2 (ANI): With an expert panel of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) recommending grant of restricted emergency use authorisation to Bharat Biotech's indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, doctors said it was a good development as the vaccine is the only alternative fight the disease.
Dr Ravi Malik, Director of Radix Hospital, said two vaccines have been recommended for emergency use authorisation.
"It is a historic day for our country that the two vaccine players have been recommended for restricted emergency use for the COVID vaccine. It is a great development because vaccine is the only alternative fight with this kind of disease," Dr Malik told ANI.
"The distribution system and the distribution lines are in place. We have eradicated polio because of strong vaccination distribution system in our country," he added.
He said once approval is given, people will start getting vaccination and possibly the disease could be controlled.
Dr Manoj Kumar, Cardiologist at Max Hospital, Patparganj, said that recommendation for DCGI nod is good news for the country in the new year. He said two vaccines are in the pipeline for clearance.
The Subject Expert Committee of CDSCO met on Friday and Saturday and recommended grant of permission for restricted emergency use of the vaccine, subject to multiple regulatory conditionalities, to Serum Institute of India, Pune.
It also recommended the grant of permission for restricted use in an emergency situation in public interest as an abundant precaution, in clinical trial mode, especially in the context of infection by mutant strains, to Bharat Biotech International Ltd Hyderabad.
The recommendations were made for the consideration and final decision of the Drugs Controller General of India.
Covaxin is an indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said earlier in the day that in the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination, free vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare and two crore frontline workers. (ANI)