<p>India is likely to have a Covid-19 vaccine in the New Year, Drug Controller General of India V G Somani hinted on Thursday.</p>.<p>Speaking at a webinar, Somani said the most important thing is that the industry and research organisations have stood the test of time.</p>.<p>He said vaccine candidates have got the funding and also talked about the efforts made by the Department of Biotechnology. "...and probably we will have a very happy New Year with something in hand. That's what I can hint at," Somnai said.</p>.<p>The Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer have applied to the DCGI seeking emergency use authorisation for their Covid-19 vaccine candidates and are awaiting approval.</p>.<p>Somani said the approval process was fast-tracked in view of the pandemic by quickly processing all applications, allowing parallel phase 1 and 2 trials without waiting for complete data.</p>.<p>"There has been no compromise on the safety or efficacy of the data. The only thing is that the regulator has accepted partial data," he said.</p>.<p>An expert panel in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) that met on Wednesday to consider emergency use authorisation applications by SII for the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine and Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' will reconvene on January 1 to further deliberate on the matter.</p>.<p>The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 on Wednesday deliberated and analysed the additional data and information submitted by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech.</p>
<p>India is likely to have a Covid-19 vaccine in the New Year, Drug Controller General of India V G Somani hinted on Thursday.</p>.<p>Speaking at a webinar, Somani said the most important thing is that the industry and research organisations have stood the test of time.</p>.<p>He said vaccine candidates have got the funding and also talked about the efforts made by the Department of Biotechnology. "...and probably we will have a very happy New Year with something in hand. That's what I can hint at," Somnai said.</p>.<p>The Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer have applied to the DCGI seeking emergency use authorisation for their Covid-19 vaccine candidates and are awaiting approval.</p>.<p>Somani said the approval process was fast-tracked in view of the pandemic by quickly processing all applications, allowing parallel phase 1 and 2 trials without waiting for complete data.</p>.<p>"There has been no compromise on the safety or efficacy of the data. The only thing is that the regulator has accepted partial data," he said.</p>.<p>An expert panel in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) that met on Wednesday to consider emergency use authorisation applications by SII for the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine and Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' will reconvene on January 1 to further deliberate on the matter.</p>.<p>The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 on Wednesday deliberated and analysed the additional data and information submitted by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech.</p>