KEM, Nair hospitals get nod for phase 2-3 Oxford vaccine trials

MUMBAI: The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) granted approval to two civic-run hospitals in Mumbai — King Edward Memorial (KEM), Parel, and BYL Nair Hospitals, Mumbai Central — for phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of Oxford-AstraZeneca, a promising vaccine for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). By August-end, the trial on 320 volunteers between the age group of 20 and 50 years will begin.

At present, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking for volunteers to participate in the trial.

A total of 10 medical institutes have been selected for the pan-India vaccine trial, of which two are from Mumbai. According to sources, BJ Medical College in Pune has also been selected for clinical trials.

The two Mumbai hospitals are waiting for a final nod from the state’s ethical committee to begin the trial.

“Each of the two hospitals will perform the trial on a group of 160 volunteers. These individuals have to be healthy, without any severe premedical ailments. They shouldn’t be on any immunosuppressants or undergoing other lifetime treatment,” said

Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.

All volunteers will be tested for Covid-19 through rapid antigen test (RAT). Also, they will be examined for Covid-19 antibodies to check if they were ever exposed to the infection in the past and recovered.

“The trial will include volunteers from all strata of society in various age groups. This will include people residing both in slums and non-slums,” said Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM.