Download the Discussion Document in PDF Executive Summary New variants of SARS-CoV-2 are being routinely identified and evaluated. For example, a new variant named AY.4.2 was detected in a few Indian samples in early November. The clinical manifestation of the...
Executive Summary This document provides a framework to broaden the scope of India’s vaccine diplomacy during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has highlighted the inequality of vaccine distribution around the world, giving India the opportunity to step into...
India is set to fortify rice distributed through the PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meal programmes to alleviate malnutrition. Will fortification achieve its aims? What will be the unintended consequences of this move? Are there better ways to...
Recently both WHO and the US have announced the establishment of centres to monitor the emergence and spread of new diseases. WHO’s new Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Germany, and the US’ Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics under the CDC...
Biobanks, which are repositories of human biological materials, will shape the future of life science research. This means India needs laws to govern biobanks, that address issues like ethics, data protection, and consent. In this episode, Shambhavi Naik and...
By Sunila Dixit1, Priyal Lyncia D’Almeida1, Manjulika Vaz2 and Shambhavi Naik1 1Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru 2Health & Humanities, St John’s Research Institute, St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru Download this Issue Paper as a PDF Executive Summary Biobanks are...
The recent wave of Covid-19 infections across the United States has been a setback for employers, schools, and universities who were readying to open their offices and campuses. From a “no mask needed for the fully vaccinated” policy 50 days...
Download the Policy Advisory Executive Summary Vaccine mandates are instruments for the government or private institutions to make it compulsory for its citizens/employees/students to be vaccinated for a specific disease in order to avail the benefits and services of the...
The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to develop the ability to assess biological threats. India has mechanisms in place to monitor some health-related trends and biological events, but there exist several lacunae. A Takshashila Institution discussion document proposes the...
Executive Summary The COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the need for India to develop its own capacity to assess emerging biological threats. Reliance on foreign inputs led to delayed actions such as airport closures or screening/quarantine of incoming travelers. We propose...
