Corona vaccine vaccines will not be available in the retail market soon. Even the regulatory expert committee has asked Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) to submit some additional data for Covaccine and Covishield respectively. Official sources said consider waiving off certain conditions, which are part of the current regulatory approval given to the two jobs. Currently, there is no COVID vaccine available in the open retail market in any country. Apart from this, other conditions have also been imposed such as companies are required to submit security data every 15 days.
Companies cannot sell in the retail market
If both the companies come up with the required data, the drug regulator’s subject expert committee (SEC) on the COVID vaccine is likely to meet again next week. Currently, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given marketing approval to two vaccines – Covaccine and Covishield – for restricted use with certain conditions. But both these vaccines can be administered only under the vaccination program of the government. These vaccines cannot be sold in the retail market. These conditions are imposed because vaccines were quickly approved based on limited clinical trial data in the event of an emergency pandemic.
Vaccination Certificate Obstacle
A senior official told our colleague TOI that marketing of the vaccine in the retail market cannot be allowed as long as the pandemic situation exists. Permitting sale in the retail market will create many challenges in monitoring its production, availability and administration. Apart from this, if the vaccine starts selling in the open market, then on what basis and how will we issue the vaccination certificate.
Exemption may be available under certain conditions
So far, more than 156 crore people in India have received the first dose of corona, including Covishield (86%) and Covaxin (13%). It is possible that some conditions may be removed. The SEC has asked companies for six months of security data to consider waiving certain conditions. An official said that the SII has also been asked to submit the data related to neurological effects due to Covidshield.
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