COVID vaccine | DCGI starts processing applications of Pfizer, Serum Institute for emergency use approval, decision likely in two weeks

Source: Reuters

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is likely to make a decision on Pfizer Inc and Serum Institute of India's applications for emergency approval for their respective COVID-19 vaccines in another two weeks, sources told CNBC-TV18.

The DCGI has started processing the applications and a Subject Expert Committee to review both the vaccines is expected to be formed this week. Sources also told CNN-News18 that the Committee is likely to meet on December 9 to discuss applications of Pfizer, SII as well as Bharat Biotech, which applied for an emergency use authorisation late December 7 night.

According to news agency PTI, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will also meet on December 9 to evaluate their applications.

"We are in the process of reviewing. It is an accelerated reviewing process, which is there for Serum too," a government official said.

Read: How India’S Ecosystem Is Gearing Up For A Smooth Rollout Of COVID-19 Vaccines

"It is the need of the hour. We have to review at the earliest," the official added.

While SII had applied for emergency use authorisation for the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on December 6, a day earlier, the Indian arm of US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer became the first to seek a similar approval from India's drug regulator for its own COVID-19 vaccine in the country, after securing such clearance in the UK and Bahrain.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that Indians will not have to wait for a COVID-19 vaccine for "too long".

Read: Serum Institute Seeks Emergency Nod For COVID-19 Vaccine Covishield: Here's How Soon Indians Might Get A Shot

"One thing, which I will definitely remind you is that the wait for a vaccine is on, but in the past few days, I have met scientists, and feel that the country will not have to wait too long for it," the prime minister said as he inaugurated the phase one construction of Agra Metro project.