(a) whether the Government has accorded priority to the research, development and production of new vaccines to arrest the growing number of diseases such as Swine Flu and Dengu in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the current status of the development of each of these vaccines; and
(d) the time by which these vaccines are likely to be made available to the public?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI S. GANDHISELVAN)
(a) to (c): Yes. The technology in respect of vaccines of Hepatitis A, Japanese
Encephalitis and oral Cholera Vaccine has been transferred by ICMR to industry and the
technology in respect of Kyasanur Forest Disease Vaccine has been transferred to the
Government of Karnataka. Pre-clinical trials have been completed in respect of Combination
Chandipura-DPT vaccine, Hepatitis E vaccine, and Recombinant Hepatitis E and Hepatitis B
vaccine.
Department of Biotechnology has supported a major project for dengue vaccine on
experimental tetravalent dengue vaccine: accelerated development†project at ICGEB, New
Delhi. The group has developed a novel tetravalent chimeric protein. Efforts are being made
to continue animal studies in AGK0129 mice strain for the development of tetravalent dengue
vaccine and start preclinical and clinical studies soon. About swine flu influenza, the
department through BIPP programme supported manufacturing of influenza vaccine at Panacea,
Serum Institute and BBIL, Hyderabad. The same is available for public use. Besides, it has
initiated a programme to develop new and improved vaccines through National Jai Vigyan Mission
Programme on S&T.
(d): Any candidate vaccine has to undergo pre-clinical trials, involving in vitro and
in vivo (animal or cell culture) experiments and Phase I to IV clinical trials in humans.
The vaccine, only if found to be safe and efficacious after completion of all these studies
is made available for public use. Therefore, no time can be fixed for making available these
vaccines to the public.