Tag Archives: Balram Bhargava
Something more foolish than completing phase 3 trials in 1.5 months?
That the Union government and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had entered into a more intimate, but not necessarily more beneficial, relationship became evident in 2019 when then ISRO chairman K. Sivan trotted out a series of dubious claims … Continue reading
Posted in Op-eds, Science
Tagged Balram Bhargava, Covaxin, Gaganyaan, human spaceflight, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, K Sivan
Comments Off on Something more foolish than completing phase 3 trials in 1.5 months?
The biopolitics of Covaxin
In a new investigation, STAT has reported fresh problems with Covaxin’s approval process in India, including the phase 2 trial dropping its placebo arm in favour of one preordained to make Covaxin look good and Bharat Biotech – the maker – … Continue reading
Posted in Analysis, Op-eds, Science
Tagged Balram Bhargava, Bharat Biotech, biopolitics, CDSCO, clinical trials, Covaxin, Giorgio Agamben, ICMR, Krishna Mohan
Comments Off on The biopolitics of Covaxin
Disappointing persons of the year 2021
I’m starting to think that in this day and age, you will but err when you pick individuals for traditionally ‘prestigious’ awards, prizes, recognitions, etc., probably because the sort of people who can stand out by themselves have to have … Continue reading
Posted in Op-eds, Science, Tech
Tagged Balram Bhargava, Elon Musk, Indian Council of Medical Research, persons of the year, SpaceX, Tesla, The Week, TIME Magazine
Comments Off on Disappointing persons of the year 2021
The vaccine that was built from scratch
I have no plans to read ICMR chief Balram Bhargava’s new book, Going Viral, about the “inside story” of Covaxin’s making, and am grateful for that reason for Dr Jammi Nagaraj Rao’s quick but seemingly thorough review in The Wire … Continue reading
Posted in Analysis, Science
Tagged Balram Bhargava, Covaxin, Going Viral, Indian Council of Medical Research
Comments Off on The vaccine that was built from scratch
Is Covaxin’s WHO approval guaranteed?
I suspect after reading this PTI report that the WHO is practically helping Bharat Biotech put together a better application to have its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, get the body’s approval for international use, instead of simply considering what Bharat Biotech … Continue reading
Posted in Analysis, Science
Tagged Balram Bhargava, Bharat Biotech, clinical trials, COVAX, Covaxin, Drug Controller General of India, Indian Council of Medical Research, World Health Organization
Comments Off on Is Covaxin’s WHO approval guaranteed?
Where the atmanirbharta in spine?
Truth be told, I didn’t expect CSIR chief Shekhar Mande could be so disingenuous. “India didn’t have to depend on western countries,” he says. What is this abject refusal to thank other countries for help – and preferring instead to … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Uncategorized
Tagged 100 crore doses, Balram Bhargava, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Covaxin, Covishield, Indian Council of Medical Research, Make in India, remdesivir, RT-PCR tests, Shekhar Mande
Comments Off on Where the atmanirbharta in spine?