One of the most promising coronavirus vaccine trials was halted due to a serious adverse reaction

[Chris Smith]

• AstraZeneca confirmed that the Oxford vaccine's Phase 3 trial was paused as it investigates the matter to determine what caused a serious adverse reaction in a volunteer in the UK.
• A report says a patient developed a condition called transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord.
• AstraZeneca has not confirmed the diagnosis, and it’s unclear whether the vaccine caused it.
• The study might be resumed within a few days if regulators conclude that it’s safe to move forward.

Halting the spread of the novel coronavirus has been a daunting task for some countries, and a variety of factors hindered public health efforts to contain the virus. Vaccines could make it a lot easier for health officials to manage the pandemic and significantly reduce the spread, and immunization campaigns in the US might start before the end of the year. Several vaccine candidates have reached Phase 3 trials, with the final stage of testing now underway in the US, Europe, and other countries. Similar drugs are in Phase 3 trials in China and Russia, although those two countries have already issued emergency approvals for the vaccines even before safety and efficacy trials conclude.

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that any of the advanced vaccine candidates will turn out to be effective and safe for public use. The recent debate around emergency approvals prompted nine companies to sign a pledge that says they will not cut corners during the trials, and only seek approval when the science can back up the drugs' efficacy. Even promising vaccines can fail in Phase 3 trials, and we have seen other COVID-19 therapies fail to meet endpoints in human trials.

After months of tests, the first bad news concerning coronavirus vaccines comes from one of the frontrunners. AstraZeneca had to temporarily halt the Phase 3 trial of its Oxford vaccine because a volunteer experienced a major adverse reaction.

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One of the most promising coronavirus vaccine trials was halted due to a serious adverse reaction originally appeared on BGR.com on Wed, 9 Sep 2020 at 10:11:26 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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