The people were counting days in the hope that 'Covaxin' would be available in the country from the day of India's independence i.e. August 15. The news was made public by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
They recently said that the clinical trial of the corona vaccine, which will start on July 7 while general people will know about the vaccine by August 15. That is why in a letter addressed to the hospitals selected for the clinical trial of the vaccine made by Bharat Biotech, ICMR Director Balaram Vargob said that the introduction of the vaccine was urgently needed considering the public health and emergency situation.
But experts are saying that the information provided by ICMR is completely unrealistic and impossible. The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune did not agree to the ICMR's move.
According to Vinita Bhalla, an immunologist and professor at the institute, 'the vaccine is not yet ready for clinical trials. How can it be made in a month? The deadline of August 15 is an unrealistic target. There is still no vaccine that can be made during this period. There are many processes involved with this. Despite the state of emergency, it is never possible to make the vaccine by August 15.
Ananta Van, who works in the company's 'Bioethics', raises questions about ICMR’s claim. Ananta said, how is it possible to make the vaccine that is still in pre-clinical trial and bring it to the market by August 15? It takes at least a month for a vaccine trial to end. In that context, it is amazing how ICMR can make such a pre-decision on the effectiveness of this vaccine.
According to experts, the trial of a vaccine takes nine months to complete. This is because it is time to monitor how the body develops immunity after vaccination. There are several ways to analyze and verify that information. Not only that, before the vaccine reaches the general people, it has to be published in a journal that is the rule.
However, ICMR scientist Lokesh Sharma said, we have never seen August 15 as the deadline. Instead, I want to start working with the institutes with the target of Independence Day. I will be able to decide at least a little on that day. It has never been said that the vaccine will be launched in the market from August 15. However, the medicine is ready. So we will try it. And the matter is being supervised by DG. So the hospitals have been given this letter.
That is why it is written in the time available in the clinical trial registry for making a vaccine that it will take one year and three months to come to a complete decision or complete it.