BHOPAL: Despite drug trial in many institutes, no vaccine trial is being conducted in any institute in Madhya Pradesh. However, union health ministry has clarified that four vaccines against coronavirus are being carried out and they are in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial in the country. Gandhi Medical College (GMC) continued with plasma therapy while AIIMS carried out drug trial with anti-leprosy drugs but vaccine trial has not been conducted so far.
Vaccines are being tested by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited and Ahmadabad-based Zydus Cadila. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is one of the frontrunners in the race for a Covid-19 vaccine in India.
Hamidia Hospital medical superintendent Dr ID Chaurasia said Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is conducting trial. It is supervising body for the vaccine trial. “There is no trial in any institutes in Madhya Pradesh. However, our institutes are continuing with drug trials as per directives of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). ”
Union health ministry has lent support to 30 vaccine candidates - three of them are in advanced trials of phases 1, 2, and 3. Over four are in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had permitted two vaccines - one developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and another one by Zydas Cadila Healthcare Limited to go in for human clinical trials.
