CMC awaits DCGI’s nod to commence mixed vaccine study

Chennai

Talking to DT Next, he said the project, which would be funded by the Azim Premji foundation, would last around 14 months from the date of inception. It would have Dr Gagandeep Kang, head of the Wellcome research lab in CMC’s Gastroenterology division and Dr Jacob John of the hospital’s community health department, as co-investigators and the team involved in the study would comprise around 10 members. The study would cover all age groups above 18 years and would be undertaken in two categories – one for those who have not been vaccinated and the other for those who have already taken one dose of the vaccine, he said.

The first group would include 500 volunteers from the community while the second group would include around 600 persons drawn mostly from among CMC’s health workers, he added.

Stating that CMC’s IRD (Internal Review Board) had already granted permission for the project, he said “permission from DCGI is a must to start the project.”Any major findings of the project which could lead to policy changes at national level would be provided to DCGI through periodic reports, he added.