Senior advisor to US President Donald Trump and top US infectious disease specialist, Anthony Fauci has claimed that India has a critical role to play in providing the world with an effective coronavirus vaccine. At a web conference organised by ICMR, Fauci stated that despite COVID-19 threat being grave, it was not essential now to conduct human challenge trials to expedite vaccine development.

�India�s manufacturing capabilities is going to be very important. We have made it clear that all tests on vaccines will have to meet regulatory standards and include all ethical review and strong data monitoring and safety boards,� Fauci said.

On the subject of human trials, he further added, �We recently convened an expert consultation on the issue and the conclusion was that such studies are not necessary at this time. The continuing high incidence of the disease is concerning but it makes randomised control trials quite feasible. We don�t have effective therapies to cure individuals infected. These factors have led us to conclude that human challenges are not essential nor ethically justified presently.�

Human trials of India�s indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN, have begun at several places across the country.

Internationally, Covishield, the vaccine manufactured jointly by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is in the advanced stages of human trials with promising initial results.

Over 16 million people worldwide have been infected with coronavirus, while over 6.5 lakh have succumbed to the disease.

In India, the number of cases has closed 15 lakh.