The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday dismissed as 'fake' the media report about the rejection of Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech's emergency use authorisation of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
Earlier, NDTV had reported that the central government supposedly rejected the requests put forward by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech for the emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines.
According to sources cited by the news portal, the requests were not approved due to "inadequate safety and efficiency data" that is currently available.
Notably, the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had met on this day to review the applications of Pfizer, SII, and Bharat Biotech for emergency use of their respective COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine manufacturing major Serum Institute of India (SII) had on Monday said that it had applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine Covishield.
The Pune-based company has collaborated with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca for making the vaccine and is conducting trials in India.
Last week, Pfizer India said it has applied to India's drug regulator DCGI for emergency-use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine, after the company's parent received clearance for the treatment from Britain and Bahrain.
After Pfizer and Serum Institute, Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech had also on Monday applied to the central drug regulator seeking emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.
Covaxin is being indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
On December 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an all-party meeting had expressed hope that a COVID-19 vaccine may be ready in a few weeks.
(With inputs from agencies)
