PanamaTimes

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

India rolls out red carpet for foreign-made vaccines as infections surge

India rolls out red carpet for foreign-made vaccines as infections surge

The Indian government has said that foreign-made vaccines approved by the US, UK and Japan, and those listed by the World Health Organization, can be granted emergency use approval, in a policy U-turn that comes as India registered the highest surge in Covid-19 infections.

In a marked shift in its policy on regulatory approvals for foreign vaccine manufacturers, the Indian government fast-tracked approval for foreign vaccines, which can apply for emergency-use authorisation.

“It will also open up, eventually, doors for import of bulk or import of finished foreign vaccines in vials or import leading to fill and finish (of the vaccine) in the country,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told the media.


"We invite...Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and others to be ready to come to India as early as possible," said VK Paul, chairman of the National Expert Committee on Vaccine Administration.

Soaring infections


The decision comes at a time when India recorded the world’s biggest surge in infections. In addition, severe vaccines shortages are being reported from various parts of the country with several states indicating that just over five days of vaccine stocks are currently remaining, while another week of supplies is in the pipeline.

On Wednesday, India reported a total of 184,372 new Covid-19 cases pushing the tally of cases to 13.8 million, according to health ministry data. With 1,027 deaths in the last 24 hours, the death toll increased to 172,085.

India has already passed Brazil's tally, making it the country with the second-highest number of infections in the world.

The western state of Maharashtra, the epicentre of the second wave, alone accounts for 50 percent of the total active caseload of the country.

Under the new norms, instead of conducting a local clinical trial before seeking an emergency use authorisation, vaccine makers can conduct a bridging trial parallel to the rollout post-authorisation, the government said.

“The first 100 beneficiaries of such foreign vaccines shall be assessed for seven days for safety outcomes before it is rolled out for further immunisation," the health ministry statement said.

“The plan is to increase the pace of vaccination with a bigger pool of vaccines because this second Covid wave is unprecedented and we need to be prepared,” virologist Jacob John told RFI.

Shortage of vaccines


A day prior to the announcement, Russia's Covid vaccine Sputnik V was cleared for emergency use by India's drug regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India.

Currently there are two approved vaccines – one developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and made by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), and another developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

The government reportedly failed to anticipate a higher demand for vaccinations when it opened up its first vaccination drive on January 16.

Officials also did not take into account the vaccines that the country had shipped out through its ambitious "Vaccine Maitri", or "vaccine friendship", initiative with other countries.


India has shipped more than 60 million doses to 76 nations, delivered either under the World Health Organization-backed Covax mechanism or as part of commercial deals.

Since the country started the world's largest vaccination programme, over 111 million people have received one dose of the vaccine so far.

With demand for vaccines suddenly spiking since 1 April due to the second surge in infections as well as the age threshold for vaccination being reduced to 45 plus, production capacity was unable to keep up.

Pfizer, which withdrew its application for importing its mRNA vaccine after the subject expert committee of India’s drug regulator rejected its request for a waiver for a local trial, is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of the relaxed rules in India.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×