“If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.” —Anonymous
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Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 2nd Jan 2021

Serum Institute’s Vaccine : Emergency approval
HEADLINES:
Serum Institute’s COVID-19 vaccine up for emergency approval
WHY IN NEWS:
Civil society organisations urge Indian drug regulator to put vaccine trial data in public domain
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases
ISSUE:
EMERGENCY APPROVAL
- An emergency authorisation — based on preliminary phase-3 trial results — would not mean a full approval, which is granted after large-scale final phase trials involving tens of thousands of participants.
- The company has said its vaccine would be administered four weeks apart, according to the Central Trial Registry of India.
GRANTING APPROVAL
- In granting any restricted emergency use approval or emergency authorisation, DCGI should provide the legal provisions under which such approval is being granted.
- The data and analysis on the basis of which approval was given and require SII and ICMR to publish interim data from the Indian trial.
IASbhai WINDUP:
DRY RUNS
- An all-India vaccine dry run will commence at three sites in all state capitals January 2.
- A dummy vaccine will be administered to select candidates.
- Processes for last-mile delivery will also be put to test over two day, to flag possible bottlenecks.
SOURCES: DownToEarth | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 2nd Jan 2021
INDIAN SARS-CoV-2 GENOMIC CONSORTIA (INSACOG)
HEADLINES:
INDIAN SARS-CoV-2 GENOMIC CONSORTIA (INSACOG)
WHY IN NEWS:
The Government of India has launched the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG).
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3 : Genome Sequencing
ISSUE:
INDIAN SARS-COV-2 GENOMIC CONSORTIA (INSACOG)
AIM
- The overall aim of the Consortium is to monitor the genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2 on a regular basis through a multi-laboratory network
- This vital research consortium will also assist in developing potential vaccines in the future.
COORDINATORS
- It is coordinated by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) along with MoH&FW, ICMR, and CSIR, the strategy and roadmap of the National SARS CoV2 Genome Sequencing Consortium (INSACOG) has been prepared
6BRANCHES
- It comprises 10 labs namely DBT-NIBMG Kalyani, DBT-ILS Bhubaneswar, ICMR-NIV Pune, DBT-NCCS Pune, CSIR-CCMB Hyderabad, DBT-CDFD Hyderabad, DBT-InSTEM/ NCBS Bengaluru, NIMHANS Bengaluru, CSIR-IGIB Delhi, and NCDC Delhi.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- INSACOG will have a high level Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee which will provide guidance and oversight to the consortium specially for policy matters and it will have a Scientific Advisory Group for scientific and technical guidance.
SOURCES: PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 2nd Jan 2021
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT(AAAN)
HEADLINES:
ACTION AGENDA FOR AN ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT(AAAN)
WHY IN NEWS:
The Minister of Science & Technology and Health & Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan released the report Action Agenda for an AtmaNirbhar Bharat (AAAN) prepared by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) in New Delhi.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health
ISSUE:
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT(AAAN)
AIM
IMPORTANCE
- It looks at the challenges, possibilities and how to find solutions
- This comprehensive action plan(AAAN) has been structured with reference to timeline, highlighting short/medium and long term interventions in various identified sectors
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The document also specifically defines policy recommendations in identified domains of Innovation and Technology development, Technology Adoption/Diffusion, Boosting up Manufacturing and Productivity, Trade and Globalization, Internet Policy and Data Management & Education and Training, AI among others.
SOURCES: IE | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 2nd Jan 2021
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