Govt eases norms for foreign approved Covid vaccines

The government on Wednesday eased norms for foreign Covid vaccines. The Drugs Controller General of India Dr VG Somani announced that vaccines approved by specific countries and the World Health Organisation no longer require post-approval bridging trials.

The apex drug regulator has also waived the requirement of testing every batch of foreign-made Covid-19 vaccines by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli.

The decisions come in the backdrop of Pfizer and Cipla putting forth similar demands during negotiations to supply imported vaccines to India.

The decision, it was said, had been taken because of the "huge vaccination requirements in India in the wake of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases"

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