ICMR jumps the gun

The undue haste being shown by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to come out with a Covid-19 vaccine — Covaxin — by August 15 this year smacks of an inappropriate eagerness to please the boss (the Modi government). As scientists, concerned and alarmed by the unrealistically short time frame, have pointed out, it is near impossible to develop a tried-and-tested vaccine in one and a half months. While according priority to public health amid the prevailing pandemic and accelerating the clinical trials of the vaccine candidate is welcome, establishing its efficacy beyond doubt is the key. Any compromise on the scientific approach and bioethics in the quest to finding a cure for Covid-19, as companies the world over race towards the target, is a sure-shot recipe for failure and global loss of face.

Proclaiming the launch date of a vaccine candidate at a time when it has the approval to conduct trials for only phases I and II is indeed preposterous. The ICMR will get the nod for phase III only on the basis of the success of the first two phases. It entails checking for the vaccine’s effectiveness in generating an immune response to fight the disease by conducting human trials. Then, if all goes well, mass production of the vaccine too is a time-consuming process. That Bharat Biotech, its partner, has projected Phases I and II trial results for October, points to the long haul.

There is only one way for the ICMR to redeem itself: by coming out with a sure-fire plan not restricted by overambitious targets. It is well known that given the rigorous standards expected, vaccines take decades to develop, that is if at all. Consider this: the HIV vaccine is still elusive after 30 years of research and one of the quickest vaccines — for mumps — took four years in the making. Regarding Covid-19, the frontrunner, University of Oxford, has set a realistic year-end target even as clinical trials for its experimental vaccine have progressed to the final stage. Our country’s apex body for biomedical research has, unfortunately, jumped the gun this time.

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