The Central Government has revoked the export ban from Covid diagnostic kits, reagents by making amendment in the export policy of diagnostic kits.

The export restriction is lifted from VTM kits and reagents, RNA extraction kits, RT PCR kits, facon tube or cryovials, swabs sterile synthetic fibre etc. It also includes Silicon columns, Carrier RNA, Proteinase K, Magnetic Stand, Beads, Probes from COVID19 testing, primers for COVID testing, Taq polymerase enzyme, COVID19 rapid antigen testing kits.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority is a regulatory body under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India and is committed to ensure affordability and accessibility of medicines by fixing the ceiling price for scheduled formulations and monitoring the prices of non-scheduled formulations.

Due shortage of doctors in public healthcare facilities, the Odisha government has permitted pharmacists to treat minor ailments and dispense drugs for certain diseases in hospitals.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India (GoI) has taken myriads of initiatives to increase investments in research & development (R&D) and manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines.

Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in collaboration with BRICS countries is implementing SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium and multi centric programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on TB patients.

Zydus Cadila announced that the company has received the Emergency Use Authorization from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for ZyCoV-D the worlds first Plasmid DNA Vaccine for COVID-19. ZyCoV-D is a three dose vaccine which will be administered first on day zero, day 28th and then on the 56th day. With this approval, India now has its first COVID-19 vaccine for the adolescents in the 12-18 age group, besides the adult population.

GSK India has received a positive recommendation from the Subject Expert Committee, SEC, of CDSCO for inactivated influenza vaccine, split virion vaccine. The SEC recommended that permission may be granted for ages more than 64 years.

Inactivated influenza, split virion vaccine sold under brand name Fluarix Tetra in India which helps to protect from influenza (flu). It works by exposure to a small dose of the flu virus which helps the body to develop immunity against the disease. It will not treat an existing flu virus infection.