Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest body of allopathic practitioners in the country, has come out in support of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive and requested all its 3.5 lakhs members to get vaccinated voluntarily. However, apprehensions have been brewing among a section of medical practitioners over the efficacy and safety of these vaccines. They point out that a vaccine should be used for a vaccination program only if it completes all three stages of clinical trials.
In India, Covishield, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, are being used for the vaccination programme.
The apprehension is mainly over Covaxin, which was granted emergency approval before the completion of phase 3 clinical trials. Resident doctors at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital even refused to take Covaxin, citing incomplete clinical trials. In a letter addressed to the medical superintendent, the resident doctors’ association said: “The residents (doctors) are a bit apprehensive about the lack of a complete trial in case of Covaxin and might not participate in large numbers, thus defeating the purpose of vaccination.” They have also requested to vaccinate them with Covishield, which has completed all stages of the trial before its rollout. “There should have been the choice of Covishield and most of the countries have been using it for vaccination. Without providing a choice, the authorities are actually denying us vaccination. Also, if there was an alternative, people would have shown more enthusiasm in the vaccination drive,” said a source within the resident doctors association at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
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