HYDERABAD: Following an RTI question about the components of indigenously produced Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin resulted in some Congress leader alleging cow slaughter, Bharat Biotech on Wednesday reported that although newborn calf serum is employed in production of viral pathogens, it isn’t utilised in the last formula of Covaxin.
“New born calf serum is employed in the production of viral pathogens.
It’s used for the development of cells, although used in expansion of SARS-CoV-2 virus nor even the last formulation.
Covaxin is processed to include just the inactivated virus elements by eliminating the rest of the impurities,” Bharat Biotech stated.
“Bovine serum is commonly utilised in the production of vaccines worldwide for many decades.
The use of new born calf serum has been documented in a variety of books since the previous eight months,” the firm added.
The central authorities also slammed these societal media articles saying that”facts are twisted and misrepresented” in those articles.
The answer came after Congress party’s federal coordination for electronic communications and social websites, Gaurav Pandhi, tweeted an RTI answer from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to a Vikas Patni concerning the contents of both Covaxin and accused that the Modi administration of betraying the”religion and perception” of individuals.
“Newborn calf serum can be used just for prep / development of vero cells.
Various types of ebooks along with other creature serum are regular enrichment ingredient used internationally for vero cell development.
Vero cells have been utilised to show cell lines that help in creation of vaccines.
This technique was utilized for years from Polio, Rabies, and Influenza vaccines,” said an announcement set out by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW).
“All these vero cells, following the development, are coated with water, also using compounds (also technically called buffer), several occasions to ensure it is free of your newborn calf serum.
Afterward, these vero cells have been infected with coronavirus for viral expansion,” it authorities announcement clarified.
“The vero cells have been totally ruined in the process of viral expansion.
Subsequently this increased virus can be killed (inactivated) and processed.
This killed virus is subsequently utilised to produce the last vaccine, also at the last vaccine formula no calf serum can be employed.
Therefore, the last vaccine (Covaxin) doesn’t include newborn calf serum whatsoever and also the calf serum isn’t a part of the final drug product,” the government statement said.
Covaxin Doesn’t contain newborn calf serum, State Bharat Biotech along with govt
