Centre's Stand Sought On Plea Against Covaxin Trial On 2-18 Age Group

COVID-19 Vaccine India: Covaxin, which has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is being used on adults in India's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive.

A plea to set aside the permission granted by the Drugs Controller General of India to Bharat Biotech for conducting the phase II/III clinical trial of its Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine on the 2-18 age group was heard today by the Delhi High Court which sought the Centre's stand. A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to the ministries of Health and Woman and Child Development, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and Bharat Biotech seeking their stand by July 15 on the petition. The court declined to pass any interim order staying the permission, granted on May 12, for clinical trials as sought by the petitioner, Sanjeev Kumar, who is a lawyer. The trial will be conducted on 525 healthy volunteers and the vaccine will be given by intramuscular route in two doses at day 0 and day 28, according to the Health Ministry.