The All India Drug Action Network , an independent watchdog, led a chorus of concern from experts saying it was "shocked" and "baffled" by the emergency approval of Covaxin.
But it also gave "emergency approval" to Covaxin, developed in India by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, even though phase 3 human trials were yet to be completed. "I would guess that the Bharat Biotech vaccine, after it has been evaluated, may be the best, the cheapest and the most practical for developing countries," he told AFP.The main opposition Congress party accused the government of putting lives at risk. The health minister of one state, Chhattisgarh, has said the Bharat vaccine is "not safe" to deploy.
In the central city of Bhopal, Bharat's local partner the People's College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre paid 750 rupees each to 1,722 recruits. Some said they were not given any documentation or briefing, while others said they were told they were being given a vaccine that would soon become mandatory nationwide.
"No informed consent was taken, no adverse events have been recorded, no monitoring and follow-up is being done," activist Rachna Dhingra said.
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