WHO Hits Pause on Covaxin Export to Fix Production Glitches
The World Health Organization (WHO) put a hold on the global shipment of India’s Covaxin vaccines—affecting UN agencies—after a recent inspection flagged a few hiccups in the manufacturing process.
What’s Up With the Pause?
- WHO’s post‑Emergency Use Listing (EUL) probe, carried out from March 14 to 22, exposed Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) shortfalls.
- Bharat Biotech has agreed to stop exporting Covaxin until those issues are ironed out.
- While the jab is still seen as safe and effective, the halt means a temporary disruption for countries that rely on it.
How Countries Should React
The WHO’s note told nations to “take appropriate actions,” but left the specifics up to local health authorities. Basically, it’s a heads‑up to monitor vaccine supplies closely and, if needed, switch to backup stocks.
Manufacturer’s Perspective
Bharat Biotech, though silent during off‑hours comment requests, had already announced a slowdown in production on Friday, citing lower local demand amid falling COVID‑19 cases and expanded immunisation coverage.
Next Steps?
The company is on a mission to fix the GMP cracks and is preparing a corrective plan to submit to both the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and WHO. While the pause might feel like a catch‑up, it’s all about ensuring the vaccine hits the mark.
Takeaway
Although the export brake may feel like a setback, it’s essentially a quality‑control remix—giving India’s vaccine team a chance to bring their A‑game to the global health stage.
