7 May 2021 09:30 pm
The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) received all the documents containing details related to clinical trials of China’s Sinopharm vaccine for its experts’ committee to consider next Monday for regulatory clearance, an official said today.
NMRA Chairman Dr. Rasitha Wijewantha told Daily Mirror his office would endorse Sinopharm vaccine for mass rollout against Covid-19 subject to regulatory clearance by the local experts’ panel or listing it for emergency use by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He said the NMRA was awaiting some details about the vaccine, required for regulatory clearance.
“We are now in possession of all the details. We received the latest dossier on Thursday evening. The NMRA’s experts’ panel will take it up for consideration next Monday. If it clears the vaccine, we can use it for inoculation of our people. Or else, we will depend on WHO emergency listing of the vaccine,” he said.
In China, more than 280 million people of its population have been vaccinated with this vaccine. Besides, it has been approved for use in 40 countries including Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan in the region. Also, it is used for mass roll out in countries such as Indonesia, the UAE and Turkey.
Earlier, State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana accused former Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne of trying to create a negative public perception about Sinopharm vaccine. He charged that the former Minister was doing it through his cronies serving in the health sector.(Kelum Bandara)