Union minister Harsh Vardhan said India has initiated an integrated response to overcome the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic in all possible ways right from the development of indigenous vaccines to novel point-of-care diagnostics. Speaking at the 8th BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting held on Friday, Vardhan said India is also hosting clinical trials for all the major vaccines, and about 20 vaccines are in different stages of development. 

Two of them are in the most advanced stage of development. COVAXIN developed through ICMR-Bharat Biotech collaboration and COVISHIELD from the Serum Institute of India. Both are in Phase-III clinical trial stage, he added. "India has initiated an integrated response to overcome this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. From the development of indigenous vaccines, novel point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutic formulations based on traditional knowledge, to establishing research resources and offering services, Indian R&D entities, both public and private, are working relentlessly to develop effective interventions for combating the pandemic," said Vardhan, Union Health Minister. Valery Falkov, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Huang Wei, First Vice Minister of Science and Technology, China, Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, South African Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology and several other dignitaries from member countries are the participants. 

Vardhan said more than 100 Indian start-ups have developed innovative products to tackle COVID-19 and the governmnet has allocated 120 billion USD for covid 19 vaccine related researches. The BRICS member leaders applauded India for the 'SERB–POWER' (Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research) scheme launched last month, the Department of Science and Technology said.

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