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  Science   31 Mar 2021  DCGI extends shelf life of Covishield from 6 to 9 months

DCGI extends shelf life of Covishield from 6 to 9 months

PTI
Published : Mar 31, 2021, 12:25 pm IST
Updated : Mar 31, 2021, 12:25 pm IST

In a letter to the Serum Institute, DCGI said it is permitted to apply the shelf life of nine months to unlabelled vials available on hand

A staff member of the Rajawadi Hospital holds a vial of Covishield, AstraZeneca's Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine made by India's Serum Institute, in Mumbai. (AFP)
 A staff member of the Rajawadi Hospital holds a vial of Covishield, AstraZeneca's Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine made by India's Serum Institute, in Mumbai. (AFP)

New Delhi: India's drug regulator DCGI has extended the shelf life of Covishield, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, from six to nine months from its manufacturing date.

In a letter to the Serum Institute of India, Drugs Controller General of India V G Somani said the SII is permitted to apply the shelf life of nine months to unlabelled vials available on hand.

Shelf life is the length of time for which an item remains fit for use.

The DCGI said it has no objection in respect of 'Extension of Shelf Life of Covishield Vaccine' in multi-dose glass vial (10 dose-5ml) from six months to nine months.

"You are permitted to apply the shelf life of nine months to unlabelled vials available on hand, subject to the condition that the details of such stock, batch-wise, shall be submitted to this office and Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli," Somani said in the letter.

Tags: covishield shelf life, dcgi, serum institute of india, drugs controller general of india, oxford-astrazeneca covid-19 vaccine