'Calf Serum' Used But Not Present In Covaxin: Government's 'Fact-Check'

The ministry clarified that the newborn calf serum is used only for the preparation and growth of vero cells, adding that this technique has been used for decades in Polio, Rabies, and Influenza vaccines.

The government today said that Covaxin does not contain newborn calf serum as the serum is not an ingredient of the final vaccine product. "There have been some social media posts regarding composition of the Covaxin vaccine where it has been suggested that Covaxin vaccine contains the newborn calf serum. Facts have been twisted and misrepresented in these posts," the Union Health Ministry said. The ministry clarified that the newborn calf serum is used only for the preparation and growth of vero cells, adding that this technique has been used for decades in Polio, Rabies, and Influenza vaccines. "Different kinds of bovine and other animal serum are standard enrichment ingredient used globally for vero cell growth. Vero cells are used to establish cell lives which help in production of vaccines," it added.