NO PLACE FOR POLITICS IN SCIENCE

On Sunday, India’s foremost science academy, The Indian Academy of Sciences (IASC) decried the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) directive on a speedy trial for Covid-19 vaccines. IASC is a body of scientists, including many who are engaged in vaccine development. Earlier, by a letter, ICMR asked the hospitals to fast-track the clinical trials to enable the launch of a vaccine by August 15. However, on Saturday, ICMR clarified that their directive was solely aimed to cut ‘unnecessary red tape’ without compromising the safety and best practices. But the question remains that ICMR didn’t disavow the August 15 deadline. The criteria for selecting the hospitals, including their infrastructure has also been questioned by now. Either way, cutting red tape shouldn’t lead to a situation where hospital ethics committees are under coercion because ICMR already warned that the “non-compliance will be viewed very seriously”. Importantly, ICMR has been responsible for developing the ‘National Ethical Guidelines for Bio-medical Research’. Hence it’s incumbent upon the ICMR authority to ensure that guidelines are followed for clinical trials too.

By contrast, many horrified experts opined that a Coronavirus vaccine cannot be launched by August 15. Even the most optimistic estimates according to them are veering towards the end of this year or early 2021. Injecting a vaccine into the general population without ensuring fullest safety and efficacy will be dangerously counterproductive. Science and discovery cannot be subordinated to political deadlines. Yet, populist governments continue to coax the experts down that path. ICMR’S Director-general Dr Balaram Bhargava’s letter to hospitals selected for clinical trials makes no secret of political pressures. He noted that the indigenous vaccine, Covaxin jointly developed by M/s. Bharat Biotech and ICMR was among the Government’s ‘top priority projects’ which is being monitored at the topmost level of the Government.