New Delhi: The Centre has disapproved the authorisation of Bharat Biotech’s Covid vaccine to people below 18 years of age whereas earlier, it was approved for children above the age of 12 years by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
According to a letter from the office of the Additional Secretary at the Union Health Ministry, the comparative factsheet for the two indigenously-developed vaccines – the other being Serum Institute of India’s ‘Covishield’ – revealed that the Centre has not recommended the emergency authorisation of these drugs for those below 18 years of age.
At the same time, another Corona vaccine, Covishield by Serum Institute of India (SII), was permitted to people above 18 years of age, permission letter to the SII showed.
The DCGI, after approving Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for EUA, had allowed its authorization to children above 12 years of age. The document of permission to the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm signed by the DCGI clearly states that “active immunization against Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) for age above 12 years when administered in two doses interval of day 0 and day 28”.
