Covaxin Yet To Receive WHO’s Emergency Use Clearance Over Technical Queries: Report

It appears the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s indigenously manufactured Covaxin will take a little more time to get an emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the United Nations’ international public health body.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has further delayed the emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Covaxin on the pretext of more technical queries which the global body has sent to its manufacturer Bharat Biotech.

With Covaxin yet to get a nod from WHO, it is a big setback for Indians who have inoculated themselves by taking this jab particularly those thinking of international travel or students studying abroad or are planning to do so.

Without the emergency use authorisation (EUA), Covaxin will not be considered an accepted vaccine by most countries around the world. So far, only a handful of countries from around the world have approved Covaxin.

The countries that have approved Covaxin include Iran, the Philippines, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Guyana, Paraguay, and Zimbabwe. These countries have given recognition to the indigenously manufactured vaccine.

Despite the Hyderabad-based drug maker asserting that it has submitted all data required for clearance, WHO has sent more technical queries on Covaxin to its manufacturer, Bharat Biotech Limited.

Recently, the Union Health Ministry hinted that the global body was likely to give its nod anytime soon. Phase 3 clinical trials of Covaxin had demonstrated an efficacy rate of 77.8%, as per Bharat Biotech’s claims.

Earlier, Dr VK Paul, Chairperson of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, had also said that World Health Organisation’s (WHO) approval for Covaxin was likely to come before the end of this month.