The Death of a 42-year-old volunteer from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh who took a dose of Covaxin in the clinical trial of the Covid vaccine has added to the controversy revolving around the approval of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
The man was reported dead nearly ten days after he participated in the clinical trial for Covaxin held at a private hospital, its vice-chancellor said on Saturday. The case comes amid questions being raised by industry experts and Opposition parties on the emergency approval granted to its coronavirus vaccine ‘Covaxin’ without publication of efficacy data.
“When he returned home he felt uneasy and experienced some health problems. He complained of shoulder pain on December 17. Two days later, he spewed foam. He refused to see a doctor saying he would be alright in a day or two. When his condition deteriorated, he was being rushed to hospital but he died midway (on December 21),” they added.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had last week approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.