More vaccines will get Govt nod in coming months: health minister Harsh Vardhan

India has so far approved two vaccines for emergency use, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, for emergency use. No private sales of vaccines are allowed for now.

Published on: Feb 16, 2021, 02:36:25 IST

By Rhythma Kaul

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India may see more Covid-19 vaccines being approved for emergency use in the next few months, the country’s health minister Harsh Vardhan said, adding that sale of vaccines in the open market may not be allowed as long as they only have an emergency use authorisation.

Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing a press conference. (ANI)

Mentioning that there are around 18-19 Covid-19 vaccines in various stages of development in the country, he added that it would “not be proper for me right now to say which vaccine will get, and how many days or weeks or months will take for emergency approval because that is something which is not given by the health minister or senior officials who are sitting on the dais.” The minister was speaking at a press conference.

According to Hindustan Times’ own reporting, there are currently two vaccines in Phase 3 clinical trials in the country.

India has so far approved two vaccines for emergency use, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, for emergency use. No private sales of vaccines are allowed for now.

“The research for other Covid-19 vaccine candidates is already there. Department of biotechnology has been given specifically ₹900 crore to help such candidates, who have a potential...,” the health minister said. “For Covid-19 vaccination to pick in the country, the government would need to open it beyond essential services. By May it will be clearer whether India is able to cover the target population groups,” said Dr K Srinath Reddy, founder, public health foundation of India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rhythma Kaul
Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More

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