Image Credit : reuters.com
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Sources revealed to CNBC-Tv 18 that the multinational pharmaceutical company based in Mumbai, Cipla on Monday have asked for Drugs Controller General of India’s nod in order to import Morderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the report, on Monday the company had handed in an application and was looking forward for an approval to import the vaccine. The DCGI have given green signal to import the vaccine on Tuesday, as they hoped. However, the DCGI confirmed that the vaccine will be for restricted use in the country. Moderna is the fourth vaccine in the country followed by Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. As per reports, the vaccine will be administered to individuals above 18 years of age.
Analysts explained that Morderna’s method to protect against COVID 19 depends on messenger RNA(mRNA) to facilitate cells to yield immunity to the coronavirus. They further informed that on the grounds of clinical trials data demonstrated that Pfizer and Morderna are more than 90 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID 19. Thereby, these vaccines are considered as a preferred choice among the wealthy countries, analysts added.
As per reports, around 120 million Americans have been inoculated with a Pfizer or a Moderna jab and no major safety issue have been recognized as yet. The United States along with European Union are looking to increase stock on even more of the mRNA vaccines. While on the other hand, Japan is also working to gather 100 million doses of Pfizer shot by the end of June.
Experts suggested that the higher cost, production limits along with the demanding requirements for shipping and storage could restrict mRNA-based vaccines availability among the lower income countries.
Dr Peter Hotez, a vaccine researcher at Baylor College of medicine in Houstan stated that right now, the mRNA based shots are the Lamborghinis or McLarens of COVID 19 vaccines, referring to the ultra high-end luxury automobiles.