10 selected for Covid vaccine trial at AIIMS-Patna

PATNA: As many as 10 volunteers were selected for human trial of the proposed Covid-19 vaccine — Covaxin — at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Patna on Monday.


The vaccine, jointly developed by the National Institute of Virology-Pune and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is the first indigenous vaccine being developed in India. AIIMS-P is one of the 12 medical institutes in the country to have been shortlisted by ICMR for conducting human trial of the indigenous vaccine.

As the screening of people for human trial began on Monday, AIIMS-P officials said all necessary preparations have been made at the medical institute to carry out the process. They said several people are contacting the institute to participate in the trials.

AIIMS-P superintendent Dr C M Singh said around 200-300 people have so far contacted the institute. “We are only selecting healthy people between 18 and 55 years of age for the trial,” he said.

“The selection process will go on for a few days before we finalise the final lot. Such people will be kept under observation for some days. A team of doctors will examine them before giving green signal for the trial,” Singh said.

Asked about the final procedure of the human trial, Singh said, “The first dose of the vaccine will be given to those whose reports come normal. The individual should not have any health issue as it might act as a barrier during the vaccine trial.”

As per ICMR’s guidelines, the Drugs Controller General of India has accorded permission to conduct phase I and II of clinical trial. The preclinical studies of the inactivated Covid-19 vaccine have been successfully completed.