KATHMANDU: A legal way has been opened to test the coronavirus vaccine in Nepal which have developed in other countries. President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday issued the Ordinance on Medicine (Third Amendment) to facilitate the use of emergency medicine and vaccines.
The Drugs Act 2035 BS required permission from the Department of Drug Management to conduct clinical trials of new drugs.
Now the government has added clinical trials of vaccines in the Ordinance as well.
“The Government of Nepal may allow a clinical trial of a vaccine that is in clinical trial as per the permission of the government of any foreign country or the concerned regulatory body if it wishes to conduct a clinical trial of such vaccine in Nepal,” the Ordinance said.
With the new initiative, it will be easier to import emergency medicines and vaccines in the country. The ordinance provides for easy import of medicines and vaccines required for coronary and other epidemics. As there is no federal parliament, the government had proposed an ordinance to amend the law to bring medicines and vaccines as soon as they are produced.
President Bhandari has issued the ordinance in accordance with Article 114 (1) of the Constitution.
Many countries, including USA, Russia, China and India, have developed COVID-19 vaccines and they are in different stages. Nepal so far have not yet participated any covid-related vaccines trials.
