Tag Archives: Indian Council of Medical Research
The BHU Covaxin study and ICMR bait
Earlier this month, a study by a team at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi concluded that fully 1% of Covaxin recipients may suffer severe adverse events. One percent is a large number because the multiplier (x in 1/100 * … Continue reading
Posted in Op-eds, Scicomm, Science
Tagged academic publishing, Banaras Hindu University, Bharat Biotech, Covaxin, Drug Safety, Indian Council of Medical Research, Priya Abraham, The Hindu, The Vaccine War
Comments Off on The BHU Covaxin study and ICMR bait
Hot in Ballia
More than half of the deaths reported during the heatwave in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar this week were reported from just one district in the former, called Ballia. On (or around) June 17, the medical superintendent of the Ballia district … Continue reading
Posted in Analysis
Tagged Ballia, Bihar, COVID-19 pandemic, death certificate, heatwave, Indian Council of Medical Research, Joshimath, Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath
Comments Off on Hot in Ballia
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?
India’s missing research papers
If you’re looking for a quantification (although you shouldn’t) of the extent to which science is being conducted by press releases in India at the moment, consider the following list of studies. The papers for none of them have been … Continue reading
Posted in Science
Tagged Bharat Biotech, Biocon, Covaxin, COVID-19, COVID-19 epidemic, COVID-19 pandemic, ELISA test kit, favipiravir, hydroxychloroquine, Indian Council of Medical Research, Itolizumab, novel coronavirus, peer review, preprint papers, remdesivir, science academies, science by press release, seroprevalence survey, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, tocilizumab, Zydus Cadila
Comments Off on India’s missing research papers