BHOPAL: There are eight vaccines that are currently at different stages of development in the country. But trials of only one vaccine--Covaxin—are being conducted in the state and that too by one institute. Shortage of volunteers is said to be the key reason for keeping other medical institutes away from carrying out vaccine trials.
People's College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (PCMS) in Bhopal is conducting trials of Covaxin , which is developed by Bharat Biotech in association with the ICMR.
Gandhi Medical College (GMC) is waiting for approval from the company and ICMR for carrying out a vaccine trial. GMC, which is in category-2 for trial, has been deprived of approval for the shortage of volunteers, however, PCSM has claimed that it is getting the required number of volunteers for the vaccine trial.
-- Medical Superintendent Hamidia Hospital Dr ID Chaurasia said, “It would have been better if more vaccine trials were carried on in Madhya Pradesh. But the problem is that people are apprehensive of the side effects and so are not coming forward as volunteers for the vaccine trial. The manufacturing companies do not want to expand their trial plan in other institutes here because of the shortage of volunteers.”--
Even in Bhopal, only PCSM is conducting vaccine trial, while Gandhi Medical College (GMC), despite having all the required infrastructure, is still waiting for the approval, said Chaurasia, adding that people are hesitant and not volunteering. Main issue is people should reciprocate in a positive manner.”
The other vaccines include Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) in collaboration with AstraZeneca; ZyCOV-D, a vaccine by Cadila Healthcare jointly developed with the Department of Biotechnology. Sputnik-V is the fourth vaccine candidate developed by Dr Reddy's Lab and Gamaleya National Centre in Russia.
NVX-CoV2373 is another vaccine being developed by SII and Novavax. The sixth vaccine is a recombinant protein antigen-based vaccine manufactured by Biological E and MIT in the USA.
HGCO 19, the seventh one is being manufactured by Genova in Pune in collaboration with HDT, USA. The eighth vaccine is being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University, USA.
