Visakhapatnam: ICMR selects KGH to conduct clinical trials

Visakhapatnam: With the Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) choosing a dozen institutes to commence human clinical trials for coronavirus vaccine, the medical fraternity is gearing up for the exercise.

As the Hyderabad-based drug-maker Bharat Biotech (BB) gives a new ray of hope to fight against the deadly virus, King George Hospital (KGH) in the city has been selected as one of the 12 trial centres by the ICMR.

Welcoming the decision, KGH Superintendent G Arjuna says, "Clinical trials are expected to be held in three phases. They will be conducted based on the directions received from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

We have received a mail from the ICMR regarding the clinical trials. The Ethics Committee has forwarded the same to the state government. Soon, the exercise pertaining to human clinical trials will commence."

Further, the Superintendent mentions that the medical fraternity has been waiting since long for the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine and the BB's Covaxin developed with the support of the ICMR's National Institute of Virology is sure to be a major breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus.

Along with the KGH in AP, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, SRM Hospital and Research Centre in Kanchipuram and Jeevan Rekha Hospital in Belgaum form a part of the clinical trials.

With the ICMR accelerating its efforts to launch the vaccine by August 15, efforts are on to complete the process of human clinical trials by then.