India is likely to approve the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine i.e., AstraZeneca’s vaccine by next week for emergency use. The approval may come after its local manufacturer-provided additional data supporting how useful it is. India may also become the first country to give a green light to the British candidate even as the British medical officials continue to examine the data and the trails.
India is considered as the global pharmacy and the biggest vaccine-maker in the world. It plans on immunizing its citizens preferably by the next month. India is likely to approve the Oxford vaccine. Currently, the country hopes to use vaccines made by Pfizer Inc. and the local manufacturer Bharat Biotech. A big challenge stands in the way of India as it plans to vaccinate the second largest population in the world. This also causes a huge hurdle in its fight against the pandemic and economic instability.
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The AstraZeneca vaccine is an ideal candidate for low-income countries and those having a hot climate. The candidate is cheap, easy to transport and can be stored under normal fridge temperatures.
India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) previously studied the three candidates on December 9, 2020. It also asked for more data from the three makers including Serum Institute which is manufacturing the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine.
Serum Institute of India (SII) is the biggest vaccine maker in the world. It has now submitted all the data to the authorities, as reported by sources. Officials are still waiting for more data about the Pfizer vaccine while additional data is expected from Bharat Biotech.
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India’s approval may come after AstraZeneca released data of its late-stage trials conducted in the UK and Brazil in December 2020. According to the data, the vaccine shows 62% efficiency in trial participants who consumed two full doses. It showed 90% efficiency in patients given a half dose.
India has not yet signed a deal with the vaccine supplier. However, SII has already stockpiled more than 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It also plans on making 400 million doses by July.