India’s approval of two vaccines criticized over lack of data

Agency: Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) faced questions after taking the step without publishing efficacy data for the homegrown coronavirus vaccine, according to Al Jazeera.

DCGI had approved the use of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. These will be India’s immunization programme until other vaccines are approved, according to Al Jazeera.

COVAXIN was jointly developed with a government institute and means India joins a small list of countries to have approved its own coronavirus shot. Similarly, Bharat has partnered with drug developer Ocugen Inc to co-develop it for the US market.

According to Channel News Asia, neither the company nor India’s Central Drugs Standards Control Organization would reveal its efficacy results.