Bharat Biotech’s covaxin has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India on Sunday and the company has been receiving backlash ever since then. The reason of criticism is that the company has not presented the data of third phase trial and has already been approved for emergency use. Meanwhilem, Bharat Biotech Chairman Krishna Ella said on Monday that the company does not deserve the backlash it is receiving.
“Don’t accuse us of inexperience. We are a global company… have manufactured 16 vaccines,” he said, adding that “200 per cent honest” clinical trials were conducted.
Elle said that company conducts clinical trials across the world and not only in India. Notably, Covaxin has been given emergency apporval just after two of the three mandatory trials required for approving a vaccine.
Meanwhile, Elle had said that Bharat Biotech was the only company to have a Bio Safety Level 3 (BSL- 3) production facility.
“We do 200 per cent honest clinical trials and yet we receive a backlash. If I am wrong, tell me. Some companies have branded me ‘water’. I want to deny that. We are scientists,” he said.
Addressing claims that Bharat Biotech has not been transparent in their process of developing the vaccine, he said, “Many people say that I am not transparent in my data. I think people should have patience to read on the internet and how many articles published.”
“We’re not water like and backup vaccine,” he said while marking that the Central Drugs Standard Control Orgnaisations, 2019, clearly states that “if yours is a proven platform technology, and good pre-clinical trial data is available then you can get the emergency license for the product.”
