The Centre is in consultations with the Russian government for exploring the possibility of getting Russian vaccine Sputnik V early, Parliament was told on Friday. Minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey informed the Lok Sabha that the department of biotechnology is engaging in talks with the Russian government for Covid-19 vaccine in India.

“While the government and Industry are trying their best to make available a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 at the earliest, it is difficult to comment on the exact timelines in view of various complex pathways involved in vaccine development,” the minister said, detailing the progress the ongoing vaccine trials in India have made.

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About 30 COVID-19 vaccine candidates are under various stages of development, the minister said. If the advanced clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine succeed, then an effective vaccination is likely to be available by the end of first quarter of 2021, the minister added.

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Elaborating on the steps taken by the government for timely availability of Covid-19 drugs and vaccination, Choubey informed that CDSCO has approved the manufacturing and marketing of three drugs — Remdesivir Injectable formulations, Favipiravir tablets, Itolizumab injection — for restricted emergency use in the country for treatment of coronavirus infection.

Meanwhile, Russia’s R-Pharm on Friday announced the approval of coronavir for outpatient treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 coronavirus infection.

(With agency inputs)