NEW DELHI: As experts cautioned against rushing the process for developing a Covid-19 vaccine after the ICMR stated it plans to launch one by August 15, the apex health research body on Saturday stressed that it is acting in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential.
The ICMR said that the letter by Director General of ICMR Dr Balram Bhargava to principal investigators of the clinical trial sites was meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants.
Bhargava had on July 2 written to principal investigators of select medical institutions and hospitals to fast-track human clinical trial approvals for the vaccine candidate ‘Covaxin’ being developed in collaboration with Bharat Biotech.
All other vaccine candidates across the globe have been similarly fast-tracked, it said, adding that the Drugs Controller General of India has accorded permission to conduct phase 1 and 2 (human) clinical trial of ‘Covaxin’ based on in-depth scrutiny