No newborn calf serum in Covaxin, Centre busts myth

Covaxin does not contain newborn calf serum at all and the calf serum is not an ingredient of the final vaccine product, the Union Health Ministry said. 

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday (June 16) refuted social media reports claiming that Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin contains the newborn calf serum. In a statement, the Union Health Ministry strongly denied such reports and said facts have been “twisted and misrepresented”.  “Newborn Calf Serum is used only for preparation/ growth of vero cells. Different kinds of bovine and other animal serum are standard enrichment ingredient used globally for vero cell growth, the statement read.