We Need an Enabling Ecosystem for Development of Vaccine, Studies on new Diseases

The Indian Express 4th June 2020 Save

Context: India is one of the largest producers and exporters of vaccines in the world, it needs to develop a comprehensive bottom-up approach towards fast-tracking the development of a vaccine.

Importance of Vaccine:

Prevents death (2-3 million children globally every year) buy eradicated highly contagious diseases such as smallpox.

India was certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014.

India also eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Vaccine Development

Developed Vaccines: against Japanese encephalitis (JENVAC), shigella (technology transfer to Hillman Labs), and the Kyasanur forest disease.
Research funding for initial and validation studies: for rotavirus and polio vaccines.
Developing a fully indigenous vaccine for COVID-19 by collaborating with Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL).
Fast-track clinical trials: of the live attenuated recombinant vaccine for COVID-19 in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India and Oxford University.
Setting up the National Institute of One Health: to study zoonotic diseases

Way Forward

Regular investments: to ramp up manufacturing capacity through programmes like Make In India.

Early-stage financial investment: to propel a research and innovation ecosystem.

Fast-tracked approvals: to expedite vaccine development, subsequent animal studies, and clinical evaluation of the candidate vaccine.

Triple-helix model of innovation: i.e collaboration between research institutes, industry, and the government.

Bottom-up approach for research and innovation: increasing research in biotechnology, medical innovation, and public health at the university level.

Prioritise the development of cost-effective tools of public health importance like vaccines.

Accessibility: Government, technical experts, and private companies must ensure resources and tools accessible to the researchers to make India truly atmanirbhar.