ICMR-NICED to propose research on the oral COVID vaccine
The Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has submitted a proposal by the Kolkata based ICMR-NICED for research on an oral COVID vaccine. A senior official of the institute said on Monday that the proposed project for research will be done in collaboration with a German firm and has been shortlisted for presentation. 
ICMR-NICED Director Shanta Dutta added, “We have submitted a proposal for research on an oral vaccine. It will be carried out in collaboration with a German firm. Work can be started once it gets selected and funded.” It will take almost 5-6 years to develop an oral vaccine in the laboratory, she added.
Dutta also said that once the vaccine will be developed, it will be tested on animals as is done in the case of all the vaccines. She said that this vaccine will be first tested on animals and all the stages of developing a vaccine and phases of clinical trials for the safety and immunogenicity will be followed in the case of this vaccine too.
She further said, “The entire process will take at least five to six years and we can expect the oral vaccine in the market only after that.”
