COVID-19 Vaccine Myths vs Facts: Final COVAXIN Does Not Contain Newborn Calf Serum, Clarifies Government
The final vaccine (COVAXIN) does not contain newborn calf serum at all and the calf serum is not an ingredient of the final vaccine product.
New Delhi, June 16: There have been some social media posts regarding composition of the COVAXIN vaccine where it has been suggested that COVAXIN vaccine contains the newborn calf serum. Facts have been twisted and misrepresented in these posts. Newborn Calf Serum is used only for preparation/ growth of vero cells. Different kinds of bovine and other animal serum are standard enrichment ingredient used globally for vero cell growth. COVID-19 Vaccination Myths vs Facts: Any Death Or Hospitalisation After Vaccination Can't Be Automatically Linked To It, Says Govt.
Vero cells are used to establish cell lives which help in production of vaccines. This technique has been used for decades in Polio, Rabies, and Influenza vaccines. These vero cells, after the growth, are washed with water, with chemicals (also technically known as buffer), many times to make it free from the newborn calf serum. COVAXIN COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates Interim Clinical Efficacy of 81% in Phase 3 Trials, Claims Bharat Biotech.
Thereafter, these vero cells are infected with corona virus for viral growth. The vero cells are completely destroyed in the process of viral growth. Thereafter this grown virus is also killed (inactivated) and purified. This killed virus is then used to make the final vaccine, and in the final vaccine formulation no calf serum is used.
Hence, the final vaccine (COVAXIN) does not contain newborn calf serum at all and the calf serum is not an ingredient of the final vaccine product.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 16, 2021 01:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).