Dr Reddy's asked to re-submit Russian vaccine phase-3 trial application

Health Secy says a vaccine should be available in first quarter of next year if everything goes according to plan

The government has asked Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to submit its application for the clinical trials of Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V again, after incorporating some specific suggestions that have been made to them by the  Drugs Controller General of India, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Tuesday. 

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy Laboratories had recently sought DCGI's permission to conduct phase three trials of the Russian vaccine in India. 

Bhushan also said that a vaccine should be available in the first quarter of next year if everything goes according to plan. 

He said that the government will undertake training of manpower not just for those who have to administer the vaccine but also report any adverse event. 

A subgroup of the high level committee on vaccine is looking at the logistics situation with respect to syringes and other related equipment besides the vaccine. 

While the world awaits the vaccine, as far as the treatment of covid patients goes, plasma therapy has not shown any benefit in mortality in moderate to severe patients nor has it stopped the progression of the disease, the Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) study has found. “The study has been reviewed and accepted by the British Medical Journal and it will be published soon,” said Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR. 

The study was conducted on 464 patients across 39 hospitals involving 250 doctors. Taking cue from the plasma therapy ICMR has completed the animal testing of equine sera - blood plasma obtained for horses that have recovered from Covid. It will soon start clinical studies, Bhargava said. 

Health ministry also said that 48 per cent of Covid-19 deaths were in 25 districts across eight states. Fifteen of these districts were in Maharashtra. 

While the government is in talks with the state government there to control the situation, Bhushan also said that there is no direct correlation between health infrastructure and deaths. 

“Patient has to be taken to the hospital in time...In Delhi too we had noticed earlier that most deaths were happening within 72 hours. We have to provide timely treatment,” Bhushan added.