DRAP allows resumption of vaccination administration

Islamabad: The Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) has allowed the privately-owned Shifa International Hospital and Islamabad Diagnostic Centre (IDC) to resume the administration of coronavirus vaccination.

The regulator had authorised the AGP Limited to be the first company to import Sputnik-V vaccine in Pakistan for private sales. On April 7, the DRAP had stopped both the centres from administering Sputnik V supplied by AGP Limited for deviating from the recommended vaccine storage temperature.

According to it, critical observations regarding deviation from recommended storage temperature (-18c and below), which is mandatory to ensure safety and efficacy of the said biological product and absence of documentary evidence regarding authorised distributor/vaccine centres has been reported to the higher authorities.

However, the DRAP has, now, allowed both the facilities to continue the administration of the Sputnik vaccine and asked them to take necessary measurements to ensure documentation of storage conditions in accordance with the Emergency Use Authorisation. It also asked both of them to train their employees in handling the temperature of sensitive products.