In a major development, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has approved AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use and was expected to register the Chinese state-owned firm Sinopharm’s medicine next week.

Though Pakistan might not get the vaccine through a bilateral agreement as the drug is being prepared in India, it will pave the way for getting free vaccine through Covax for 20 per cent of the country’s population.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan confirmed to Dawn that Drap had approved AstraZeneca while a senior Drap official, on condition of anonymity, said that Sinopharm’s vaccine would likely be registered next week.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1601957/drap-gives-go-ahead-to-astrazeneca-for-use-in-emergency