Controversy Swirls Around India’s Homegrown Covid Vaccine
- Bharat Biotech vaccine shows India’s push for a local shot
- Speedy approval of firm’s vaccine has drawn criticism
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A year ago, Krishna Ella was simply known for running a small Indian pharmaceutical company with a reputation for scientific rigor. Then came the pandemic that put the scientist and his family at the center of one of the world’s loudest furors over a coronavirus vaccine.
In June last year, India’s drug regulator permitted Ella’s firm -- Bharat Biotech International Ltd. -- to develop a homegrown vaccine in record time. Since then the company has been buffeted by controversies ranging from unrealistic government schedules to sporadic reports of adverse reactions. Matters came to a head last month after the government approved its shot before the completion of final human trials.