There’s already one coronavirus vaccine that has been approved, but does it actually work?

[Chris Smith]

• The first scientific study is out for the controversial coronavirus vaccine that Russia approved a few weeks ago.
• The early emergency use authorization sparked plenty of criticism for experts in the field, as Russia failed to provide any proof that the experimental drug is safe and that it works as intended.
• The Phase 1/2 trial study was published on Friday in a reputable journal, offering the first data surrounding its efficacy and safety.

One of the most significant novel coronavirus vaccine controversies so far this year hails from Russia, as the country approved its first and only vaccine candidate for emergency use a few weeks ago without releasing any scientific studies that might provide evidence that the drug actually works. Reports at the time said the country might have been more interested in winning this first stage of the COVID-19 vaccine race and showing the world the power of the Russian scientific community. Russia said that vaccinations would begin at the same time as the Phase 3 stage of the research, and later revealed it was negotiating vaccine deals with other countries.

Researchers were quick to dismiss the news, as the country had not provided any evidence whatsoever that its vaccines is safe or effective. In the weeks that followed, more reports revealed that China had also started emergency vaccination campaigns for three COVID-19 vaccine candidates that had reached Phase 3 trials. The difference between the two nations is that the Chinese companies have shared early trial results along the way, showing that their experimental drugs worked as intended.

Russia did say that it would eventually publish the results from early studies, and the first paper on the vaccine has finally arrived. The research shows that the drug works as intended, inducing an immune response that might prevent the COVID-19 infection. The vaccine candidates that Russia used delivered both neutralizing antibodies and a T cell response, the kind of dual-pronged protection that other vaccine candidates have also shown. The researchers do agree there are various limitations of this Phase 1/2 trial, and that more research is required to answer all the lingering questions.

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There’s already one coronavirus vaccine that has been approved, but does it actually work? originally appeared on BGR.com on Sun, 6 Sep 2020 at 12:04:22 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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