Oxford vaccine trials restart in the UK, were paused safety concerns

As per the latest news, clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Pharma giant AstraZeneca Plc. and Oxford University will restart after being stopped due to a reported side effect in a patient in the United Kingdom.

AstraZeneca said in the statement that the coronavirus vaccine named ‘AZD1222’ has given green light by MHRA (Medicines Health Regulatory Authority). The company also mentioned that similar clinical trials that had been paused in other nations, including India, could also now begin again.

In the previous week, the firm had temporarily stopped global clinical trials due to an adverse event reported in one patient. However, AstraZeneca and Oxford University, as the trial sponsor said that they cannot reveal further medical information.

On September 6, the standard review process caused a pause to vaccination across all clinical trials to allow a complete review of safety outcomes by international regulators and independent committees, the company said while adding that the UK government committee has suggested MHRA that clinical trials in the UK are safe to restart.

AstraZeneca said it will continue to work with global health authorities and be guided as to when other trials can restart providing the potential vaccine broadly, fairly, and at zero profit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, the Serum Institute of India also announced that the company will resume trials in India after getting approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The company has production as well as distribution alliance on this potential vaccine candidate in most developing countries.

Serum Institute too had stopped trials in India, albeit a day after AstraZeneca announced similar action across the globe. The company received a show-cause notice from the Indian drug control agency for not informing it instantly and stopping the clinical trial on the same day.

Source Credit - https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/clinical-trial-resumes-on-astrazeneca-oxford-university-covid-19-vaccine/article32593638.ece

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