Phase III clinical trial to start at College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital from next month

Kolkata: The phase III clinical trial of Sputnik V, Russian Covid vaccine would be conducted at the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital (CMSDH) from early next month after the process got delayed due to some technical issues.

It may be mentioned here that a private hospital in the city has also been selected for carrying out the trial of Sputnik V. It was learnt that the private hospital will also start the trial from the first week of

January if everything goes as per plan.

The ethics committee of both the hospitals has given a clearance to perform the trials where 100 volunteers from each will take part in the programme. As many as 500 volunteers have altogether registered themselves for undergoing the trails at both the hospitals. The volunteers will have to obtain eligibility by clearing the screening. They would be tested on various health parameters before receiving the vaccine.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) prefers government institutions for the clinical trial of the Russian vaccine.

It may be mentioned here that ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) had already started the phase III regulatory trail of 'Covaxin'. Many volunteers including the city's Mayor Firhad Hakim received the vaccines developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in the trial phase.