AIIMS Delhi to start Covaxin trials on children in few days, say sources

After All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, now AIIMS Delhi is also planning to start the Paediatric clinical trials of the indigenous Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine "Covaxin" in few days, sources said on Thursday.

The paediatric trials for Covaxin started in AIIMS Patna on Tuesday after Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine received the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) nod to conduct clinical trials on children on May 11.

"AIIMS Patna has started trials in the age of 12-18 years, we have started clinical trials of Covaxin after registration for this age only," said Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh, Director, AIIMS, Patna.

"After these trials, the age group will be 6-12 years and then 2-6 years but now we have started trails in the age group of 12-18 years," he added.

VK Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog had earlier said, "Covaxin has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for Phase II/III clinical trials in the age group of 2 to 18 years."

India started the world's largest vaccination drive on January 16 this year in a phased manner with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2.

The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 from April 1.

The third phase of the vaccination started on May 1 for the beneficiary aged between 18-44.

India has three COVID-19 vaccines - Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Serum Institute's Covishield, and Russia's Sputnik V. Covaxin and Covishield are being manufactured in India.

( With inputs from ANI )

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