Serum Institute of India Chairperson Cyrus Poonawalla on Friday expressed strong disapproval of any move to mix COVID-19 vaccine doses. He stated categorically that it was wrong to make “a cocktail of vaccines” by mixing Covishield and Covaxin.
"There is no need to mix the doses," Cyrus Poonawalla was quoted as saying by The Economic Times. He added that if something goes wrong with this approach, then a blame game would start between manufacturers of the two jabs.
"If anything misfires, Serum will say that the other vaccine is not good and they (the other vaccine company) will blame us claiming there was an issue with our vaccine. I think, it is very wrong to mix the vaccines and you can quote me," Cyrus Poonawalla said.
His remarks come after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) green-lighting a study to be conducted on the mixing of Covaxin and Covishield. T. The study, involving 300 health individuals, will be carried out by Christian Medical College, Vellore, Dr V. K. Paul of the Niti Aayog had informed earlier this week.
Opposing mixing of Covid-19 vaccines, he added that such mixing of doses is "not at all proven" in field trials, while speaking at Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth in Pune.
