PETA urges DCGI to replace calf serum method for vax production

New Delhi, June 17, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India on Thursday asked the Comptroller General of Medicines of India (DCGI) to replace newborn calf serum (NBCS) with a chemical solution without animals, in the production of the Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin.

PETA wrote Thursday morning to Dr VG Somani of DCGI, to provide guidance to vaccine manufacturers, to review their proposal following a report that Covaxin, the Indian Covid-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), uses the production stage NBCS, which is extracted from the blood of slaughtered calves less than 20 days old.

“The calves used in the extraction of this serum are taken from their mothers shortly after birth, which traumatizes and anguishes both the mother and the calf,” said Dr Ankita Pandey, science policy adviser at PETA India.

“PETA India is looking to the Drugs Controller to ensure that vaccine manufacturers switch to available animal-free carriers that overcome the limitations associated with the use of animal serum. “

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughterhouses) Regulations 2001 prohibit the slaughter of pregnant animals and animals under 3 months of age. Therefore, the use of serum obtained by slaughtering a calf less than 20 days old for vaccine production will not be permitted.

Many Indian states have banned the slaughter of cows and sometimes calves, bulls and buffaloes. In a country where killing cows and often calves is prohibited by law, it would be considered inappropriate and unethical by most to import and use NBCS made by killing these same animals in others. country.

The use of components of animal origin such as NBCS in vaccine production compromises the quality and reproducibility of research and is often associated with the risk of contamination with proteins and non-human pathogens.

The use of animal serum could also delay the production of Covid-19 vaccines if shortages arise, as vaccine production increases a concern avoided by using available and animal-free products.

“Animal-free media are already commercially available and can be used to grow Vero cells for virus production instead of using NBCS extracted by slaughtering calves,” PETA India said in the letter.

PETA India argues that modernization of vaccine production methods is an immediate necessity, especially in a country like India, where the public has religious, cultural and emotional ties to cows and calves and where harming them is a major concern. punishable offense.

“PETA India and its affiliated scientists have led efforts to end the use of animals for serum production. PETA Science Consortium International, of which PETA India is a member, has online resources that researchers can use to replace fetal bovine serum and NBCS. in cell culture media. “

PETA India’s request comes a day after the central government released a clarification that Covaxin does not contain newborn calf serum at all.

Noting that “the facts have been twisted and distorted,” the government said: “Newborn calf serum is only used for the preparation or growth of vero cells.”

Noting that different types of bovine and other animal serum are standard fortification ingredients and that they are used worldwide for the growth of vero cells, the Union Ministry of Health said that vero cells are used to establish cell lives that aid in vaccine production.

“This technique has been used for decades in vaccines against polio, rabies and influenza. These vero cells, after growth, are washed with water, with chemicals (also known as a buffer), several times to release them from the newborn calf.Then these vero cells are infected with the coronavirus for viral growth.

“The vero cells are completely destroyed during the process of viral growth. Subsequently, this cultured virus is also killed (inactivated) and purified. This killed virus is then used to make the final vaccine, and in the final vaccine formulation, no calf serum is used. . “

Therefore, the ministry said, the final Covaxin vaccine does not contain newborn calf serum at all, and calf serum is not an ingredient in the final vaccine product.

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