According to the recently received, information India may grant authorisation for emergency use of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine to India’s Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) if AstraZeneca becomes successful in getting the approval from the UK government, Vinod Paul, member of Niti Aayog member announced on Saturday. He also stated that if the clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine in India go as per the decided way, its phase III trials should be over by January-February 2021.
Vinod Paul, who is the chairman of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, stated that the Indian drug regulator, Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) may consider granting an emergency authorisation of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate to Adar Poonawalla’s Serum Institute of India if AstraZeneca secures it in the UK.
“We expect emergency authorisation for Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine to be sought in the UK. If so, it will give an opportunity for India regulator also,” Vinod Paul said in a statement adding that “If an emergency authorisation is granted in India before the Phase 3 trials are completed, would make it possible that people in the priority list be administered early next year.”
