Why India Must Take Risk and Lead In Starting Parallel Human Trials of Corona Medicines and Vaccines
R.K.Upadhyay 
The Corona Crisis has given an unique opportunity to India to establish its lead in Medicines and Health Care globally but our approach so far has been typically slow and Babuish.
There is a race amongst big scientific communities to produce a vaccine for the corona virus . Inspite of the huge potential , India , is a ‘also in run’ power and not a leading power in research in developing the vaccine The front runers are USA , Japan , UK , Israel and China . India must immediately develop an indigenous animal testing facilities for vaccines , if necessary as an AIIMS project, to end dependence on USA for such testing . Simultaneously it must start human trials in parallel for BCG and our best Corona vaccines, on critical cases on voluntary basis on say a total of five thousand patients about to reach the ventilator stage .
We must learn from President Trump and Europe. Trump has not waited for an ideal drug to emerge but has boldly supported the use of Hydroxy chloroquine to save lives over ruling the criticism of the medical puritans .European nations have done the same. Going by the book is safe but not the most desirable solution for India. We were a leading medically advanced civilization and time has come to snatch that title by displaying a bold leadership .
As the lockdown lifts on May 3 , PM must permit
- As a major international research project , India should make a blood plasma bank of cured corona patients to be used for saving precious lives of national and international patients who will be valuable for the Indian cause . We should do it in Europe and USA as white and black race has different vulnerabilities . China would do it for the yellow race . This is the most proven treatment at present and a blood plasma bank will give us the necessary lead .
- Instead of doubting, we should quickly complete testing BCG booster dose as a preventive and curative treatment in old population of 60-70 years age group. It could also be tried in advance cases along hydroxychloroquine. Simultaneously The curative value of BCG and hydrochloroquine must be scientifically evaluated at par with international testing standards as a simultaneous project to avoid our achievements from being labeled as a voodoo science .
- India should become self reliant and make all APIs cheaply in India even with subsidies if unavoidable . Medical subsidy should be treated at par with agricultural subsidy. Our dependence on China for national needs of drugs must be ended.
- Locally made testing kits and PPEs should be used in India and imports after 30 th May should be banned except for 15% quantity for very high quality expensive equipment .
- Corona testing and treatment must be demystified and developed for adoption in villages and tehsil head quarter level . Private practitioners at tehsil level should be trained and certified in large number . The problem is in isolation in case a large number are detected positive . Every vulnerable tehsil should have a testing and and isolation cum treatment centre say for twenty patients .
- Every establishment of twenty people must record temperature of employees at attendance and send high temperature cold and cough case to authorized test centre mandatorily . Large establishments like cinema halls , malls , super markets should have automatic contactless devices for constant screening .
The cost of above steps will look high but will be much lower than extending the lockouts and having an epidemic .
The real boldness is in making India an indisputable global leader in this vital public health area by seizing this opportunity.
