Covaxin cleared for emergency use in 2-18 age group

Covaxin cleared for emergency use in 2-18 age group

Part of: Prelims and GS II – Health

Context Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin (BBV152) has been recommended for emergency use authorisation (EUA) for 2-18-year-olds by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO).

• Once approved, it will emerge as the first COVID-19 vaccine globally to be used for vaccinating children as young as 2 years.

What is the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO)?

• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India. 
• Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, 
• Headquarters: New Delhi

About Covaxin

• Covaxin is India’s first indigenous, whole-virion, inactivated vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).
• It has been formulated with ‘Algel-IMDG’, which contains chemically absorbed TLR7/8 as an adjuvant onto aluminium hydroxide gel to generate the requisite type of immune responses without damaging the body.