Bharat Biotech achieved a milestone in indigenous vaccinology: Min Sudhakar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday asked people to refrain from unwarranted criticism of Covaxin’s Phase-3 trial as it discredited the hard work of the scientists.

The minister’s statement comes a day after Bharat Biotech Director Krishna Ella came down on his critics over allegations that the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker lacks data of Covaxin.

”I think people should have the patience to read the internet and look at what our articles are,” Ella had said. In a series of tweets, Dr Sudhakar stated that Bharat Biotech was a reputed company with credibility and experience.

”Covaxin’s phase-3 clinical trial involves 24,000 volunteers & it’s data will be available soon. I humbly appeal to everyone, not as a Health Minister but as a fellow medical professional, to refrain from unwarranted criticism which discredits the hard work of our scientists,” Sudhakar tweeted on Tuesday.

The health minister said Bharat Biotech is a globally reputed company which has the credibility and experience of developing 16 vaccines including for influenza H1N1, Rotavirus, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Chikungunya, Zika and the world’s first tetanus-toxoid conjugated vaccine for Typhoid. According to him, the approval of Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covaxin’ marked a significant milestone in India’s indigenous novel vaccinology.

”India being one of the largest exporters of vaccines, the world is looking up to us in the common fight against this global pandemic,” the Minister pointed out. He also heaped praises on Bharat Biotech’s founder and Chairman Dr Krishna Ella, saying he came from a humble background.

Ella is a passionate professional with a credibility of delivering over four billion vaccine doses to underprivileged people in more than 150 developing countries through UNICEF and other channels, he said.