False: Prime Minister Narendra Modi developed the COVID-19 vaccine in India.

By: Gayathri Loka
March 23 2021

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Pharmaceutical companies and labs have developed the COVID-19 vaccines. The assertion by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is incorrect. While addressing a gathering in Agartala on February 14, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invented a COVID-19 vaccine through the "indigenous method" and that it was the reason why people in India were not afraid of the virus anymore. Deb is known for making many unsubstantiated claims. All the approvals to move forward with different phase trials of vaccines with human volunteers in India are given by the Drugs Controller General of India - the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization head. India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, was developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology(NIV). Bharat Biotech is also developing a nasal vaccine called BBV154. The intranasal vaccine is said to block infection and transmission of COVID-19. Serum Institute of India(SII) and AstraZeneca produced the Covishield vaccine, which prompts the body to make antibodies to help attack coronavirus infections. SII and the ICMR are jointly conducting a phase II/III study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of Covishield. Developed by Zydus-Cadila, ZyCoV-D is rolling out phase III clinical trials. Biological E, a Hyderabad-based company, is developing a vaccine in collaboration with U.S.-based Dynavax and Baylor College of Medicine. Biological E is conducting a phase-I and phase-II study to assess its vaccine's safety. The Sputnik V vaccine is developed by Dr. Reddy's Lab and Gamaleya National Centre in Russia. The vaccine is currently being put through phase III trials. India's first indigenous mRNA vaccine candidate has received approval from the drug regulators to start phase I/II human clinical trials. Apart from all these vaccines being developed during the Bharatiya Janata Party administration in India, there is no direct connection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.