Phase 3 trial of Covaxin to begin in Haryana on November 20, Health Minister Anil Vij offers to be first volunteer

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said the third phase of trial of Covaxin, a potential vaccine against COVID-19, will begin in the state on November 20 and offered to be the first volunteer to get vaccinated. Covaxin is being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Last month, the vaccine maker had said it had successfully completed interim analysis of Phase 1 and 2 trials and is initiating Phase 3 trials.

"Trial for third phase of Covaxin, a coronavirus vaccine product of Bharat Biotech, to start in Haryana on 20th November. I have offered myself as the first volunteer to get vaccinated," Vij said in a tweet.

Bharat Biotech had on Monday said the Phase 3 trial of Covaxin will involve 26,000 volunteers across 25 centres in India and is being conducted in partnership with the ICMR.

It is the largest clinical trial conducted for a COVID-19 vaccine in India.

This is India's first Phase 3 efficacy study for a COVID-19 vaccine, and the largest Phase 3 efficacy trial ever conducted.

The human trial of Covaxin had begun at Rohtak's Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in July, Vij had said earlier. SUN VSD DIV DIV