WHO grants emergency use listing to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin

New Delhi: In a major development, the WHO on Wednesday said it has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

This comes after the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), an independent advisory committee of WHO-recommended EUL status for Covaxin.

”WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to #COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID-19,” the global health body said in a tweet.

 

Dr Poonam Khetarpal Singh, Regional Director of WHO Southeast Asia, in a tweet, said, ”Congratulations India for Emergency Use Listing of its indigenously produced COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.” ”The Technical Advisory Group of WHO has recommended Emergency Use Listing status for Covaxin,” a source told PTI before the WHO announcement.

The TAG on October 26 had sought ”additional clarifications” from the company for Covaxin to conduct a final ”risk-benefit assessment” for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the G20 summit recently.

The TAG-EUL is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations to WHO on whether a COVID-19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use under the EUL procedure.

Covaxin has demonstrated 77.8 percent effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2 percent protection against the new Delta variant. In June, the company said it concluded the final analysis of Covaxin efficacy from Phase 3 trials.

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s Covishield are the two widely used vaccines in India.