<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">From: <b class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Sarojini N.</b> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:sarojinipr@gmail.com">sarojinipr@gmail.com</a>></span><br></div><br><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">As we are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only created unprecedented public health and economic crisis, but has also put science under tremendous pressure to develop and deliver remedies in an unrealistic time frame. Such exceptional haste is placing huge demands on the scientific community to forego<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> ethics,</span> rigour and caution<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">In the last few months, several inadequately and unscientifically tested anti-viral therapeutic drugs, and a large number of non-allopathic drugs for boosting immunity to prevent infection, have been given emergency approval for use. This has signalled the lowering of standards of research evidence and approval of therapeutic and preventive remedies for the COVID-19. Meanwhile, the pressure to find vaccine(s) in the earliest possible time is mounting day by day.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The announcement of the “Operation Warp Speed” for developing vaccines has triggered frantic efforts in India for collaborating with the multi-national companies as junior partners to produce vaccines that are yet to have evidence, and at the same time take a plunge, with massive government support, in the race to speed-test the Indian candidate vaccines. Panicky responses in desperate times have only led to havoc and harmed people. The current desperation demands an efficient but measured response that combines compassion with science. The speed created by the warping of scientific and ethics steps (but without missing any) ought not be converted into the blind pursuit of speed that cuts corners of science and ethics.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">As concerned public health, ethics, medical and legal practitioners, we feel this current situation requires urgent reflection in order to bring the focus back on science and ethics in the development of Vaccines. We strongly believe that an extensive public engagement would help people to avoid misconceptions about research or harbouring wrong expectations. We also underscore the need for transparency and respect for equity and justice in conducting trials, giving approvals, authentic information about production and distribution of the vaccines, and preparedness of the health sector.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif"> </span><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">Taking forward the concerns, we are initiating a series of <b>Five Webinars</b> to reflect on the science and ethics in developing and accessing vaccines for COVID-19, in which we would like to invite representatives of civil society organisations, media, scientists, academia, public health practitioners, legal activists, researchers, clinical trial participants, ethics committee members, policy makers, etc., to participate. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font style="background-color:rgb(252,229,205)" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#660000">Please find attached the schedule of the Webinar series from <b>7th Nov. to 21st Nov. 2020</b> with topics, dates and timings. The <b>first Webinar</b> is on the <b><u><font size="4">7th of Novembe</font></u><font size="4">r</font></b> on the theme of <font size="4"><b>"SCIENTIFIC AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN COVID VACCINE TRIALS</b>" </font>.<span class="gmail_default"> </span><span class="gmail_default">T</span><span class="gmail_default">he <b><u><font size="4">link for </font></u></b></span><b><u><font size="4"><span class="gmail_default">r</span>egister</font></u></b><span class="gmail_default"><b><u><font size="4">ing</font></u></b> </span>for this <span class="gmail_default">1st Webinar</span>:</font></p><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpfuCtrzIoGNyAIT0uL0LxVtbSrSx-aP7F" target="_blank"><font style="background-color:rgb(252,229,205)" size="4" color="#660000"><span class="gmail_default"> </span>https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpfuCtrzIoGNyAIT0uL0LxVtbSrSx-aP7F</font></a><font color="#0b5394"><span class="gmail_default"></span><span class="gmail_default"></span></font><br></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#0b5394"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">We look forward to your participation in the Webinars<span class="gmail_default"> and request you to share the announcement in your networks. </span><span class="gmail_default">We</span> hope the presentations and the dialogue during the Webinars will reflect the true spirit of public health and would be of high scientific quality, that will move towards building a clear perspective as well as a consensus on this issue.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"><b>Sarojini N,<span class="gmail_default"> </span></b><b>Amar Jesani, Yogesh Jain, Veena Johari and Chinu Srinivasan</b></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The Organising Team of Initiative on Scientific and Ethical Concerns in the COVID-19 Vaccine Research & Access<b> </b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 5.65pt;line-height:12pt">
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<p><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;color:rgb(131,60,11)">F</span><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;color:rgb(131,60,11)">or <span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">al needed</span> Details </span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;color:rgb(131,60,11)"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">on the program </span>Contact:</span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;color:rgb(31,56,100)"><br>
Sarojini Nadimpally:</span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;color:rgb(31,56,100)"><a href="mailto:sarojinipr@gmail.com" target="_blank">sarojinipr@gmail.com</a>;</span></p><p><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;color:rgb(31,56,100)">Amar Jesani: </span><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPS;font-weight:700;color:rgb(31,56,100)"><a href="mailto:amar.jesani@gmail.com" target="_blank">amar.jesani@gmail.com</a></span></p>
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