UPSC Articles
Intranasal booster trials get DCGI nod
Part of: Prelims and GS-II Health
Context: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech approval for conducting Phase 3 clinical trials of an intranasal booster dose for those who have received both doses of Covaxin.
- The chimpanzee adenovirus vectored COVID-19 vaccine (BBV154) will be administered through an intranasal route, and each single dose is 0.5 ml.
- Experts have noted that an intranasal vaccine as a booster will be easier to administer in mass vaccination drives.
- By reducing the need for needles and syringes, among others, such vaccines would also impact the overall cost of a vaccination drive.
Nasal vaccine
- A nasal vaccine is a vaccine administered to a person via the nose and does not require a needle.
- It induces immunity through the inner surface of the nose, a surface that naturally comes in contact with many airborne microbes
About Drugs Controller General of India
- He is the head of department of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of the Government of India.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation works in close collaboration with the state control administration and assist them in securing uniform enforcement of the Drug Act.
- Responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines, and sera in India.
- DCGI also sets standards for manufacturing, sales, import, and distribution of drugs in India.
- Comes under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
News Source: TH
