It is heartening to see names of Pakistani scientists in a multinational clinical study published this week in the well-respected clinical journal Lancet. Prof. Mukhtar, a renowned molecular virologist currently serving as Vice Chancellor of the National Skills University Islamabad, has congratulated co-authors of this study.

Pakistani Vaccine

He also complimented bold Pakistani volunteers who participated in this study with a placebo arm, meaning; no vaccine was being given to them for comparison purposes.


This clinical study describes encouraging data from clinical trials to evaluate the benefits of the viral vector’s vaccine, a vaccine in which part of the disease-causing microorganism is inserted into a defective, less harmful virus. This can only make the vaccine in the body. The benefits of the CanSino Biologics viral vectors vaccine have been described in the clinical study. Pakistani scientists and volunteers both contributed to this research. Previously, similar other studies have also been reported; however, an indigenized vaccine manufacturing program in Pakistan is being awaited, says Prof. Mukhtar.


The incoming year’s target should be to assemble all experts required to devise and develop a vaccine. To facilitate indigenized manufacturing of vaccines, the National Skills University Islamabad, in collaboration with all concerned partners, will be convening a conference on the issue of “Skills for Devising, Developing and Manufacturing vaccines.” This conference is tentatively being scheduled for the second week of March 2022.