The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JNMCH) of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) aims to enrol nearly 1000 volunteers for Phase III clinical trials of Covaxin vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech.

To encourage people to enrol, on November 10, 2020, Tariq Mansoor, Vice-Chancellor Professor of AMU got himself registered for the Covaxin trial.

According to an AMU spokesperson, “Volunteers who are coming forward for the test of Covaxin Phase III clinical trial, will be given transportation as well as other care and precautions, as endorsed in the guidelines for clinical trials. The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JNMCH) of Aligarh Muslim University has a well-equipped team of doctors who have proven credentials in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. As a medical college of AMU, it has been given COVID-19 level II hospital status.”

Prof Shahid Ali Siddiqui, Principal, JNMCH informed that an ethical committee comprising doctors, social workers and lawyers has been already constituted to manage the clinical trials. The staff required to conduct the vaccine trial such as paramedical personnel, technical experts etc., have been recruited and the registration of volunteers has also started.

“For phase III clinical trial of Covaxin, we will be enrolling healthy volunteers who are above the age of 18,” informed the AMU spokesperson.

He also mentioned that they are aiming to enrol a sizeable number of volunteers from the AMU campus.