30 groups working on Coronavirus vaccine in the country, informs Chief Scientific Advisor of India

New Delhi: Dr K Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India, informed ‘30 groups in the country are working tirelessly on the development of a vaccine for Coronavirus. Generally, it takes anywhere between 10 and 15 years to develop a vaccine for a disease. But the current challenge is developing a vaccine in less than a year. Along with us, other countries are also working on the vaccine. This is a difficult and risky proposition and it can not be predicted as to who will make the most effective vaccine. Frantic efforts are going into the development of the vaccine in the country, using three different techniques and to intensify this competition, a Drug Hackathon will be organised this year.’

Dr VK Paul, member of the Niti Ayog and president of the ‘Empowered Group’, formed the fight against Coronavirus pandemic said ‘India is the ‘Pharmacy of The World’ and the medicines manufactured in India are supplied all over the world. In the times of this crisis, although there is a limitation on resources, institutions from many sectors have come together and playing an important role in the fight against Coronavirus. Science and Technology has a preeminent role in the fight against Coronavirus and India has massive resources in this sector. The government institutions and industry have joined hands in this fight.’ Dr Paul and the Principal Scientific Advisor, Dr Raghavan, revealed information regarding the research being carried out in the country about Coronavirus.

Dr Raghavan declared that 30 groups are working on the development of a vaccine for Coronavirus. He also expressed confidence that a few of these groups may reach the level of Pre-Clinical Trials, by October. Dr Raghavan said that huge amounts of funds are being consumed in the vaccine development, in view of the time constraint to produce the vaccine. Some Indian institutions have independently embarked on the path of development of a vaccine for Coronavirus. Some of the Indian institutes are collaborating with foreign companies to develop a vaccine. At the same time, some foreign institutions are working under guidance from India to develop a vaccine. These are the three scenarios in the vaccine development process. The vaccine is given to a healthy person and not a patient. Dr Raghavan made everyone aware of the challenges faced by the researchers saying that the quality and safety of the vaccine is of utmost importance. Therefore, these parameters have to be thoroughly tested.