AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine trials still on hold in US over safety concerns

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine trails remain on hold in United States, despite resuming in countries such as United Kingdom, India, Brazil, and South Africa. On September 19, New York Times reported on recently published document by AstraZeneca describing protocols of how trials are being conducted by pharmaceutical company. blueprint came amid increasing pressure from scientific community who demanded AstraZeneca to be more transparent about its vaccine trials. 

Re: US FDA Investigating AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Trial, Says Chief

As per report, United States Food and Drug ministration (FDA), which is top-most authority that clears or holds vaccines, did t allow AstraZeneca to resume trials. National Institutes of Health, an ncy of US Health Department said that it is a "standard procedure" to pause trials as y are t sure wher illness in volunteers was coincidental or tied to vaccine. In study published on Saturday, AstraZeneca, however, did t reveal many details about illness in volunteers

Re: COVID-19 Vaccine: AstraZeneca CEO Says 2020 Approval 'on Cards' Despite Trial Pause

This comes after company paused trials earlier this month as two of volunteers developed illnesses. Clinical trials of vaccine, AZD1222, resumed in UK following confirmation by Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) that it was safe to do so. On September 12, AstraZeneca h said that it cant disclose furr medical information on trials. 

Re: WHO Says Safety 'first & Foremost' After AstraZeneca Suspends Vaccine Trials

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine

AZD1222, which was being dubbed as front-runner in vaccine race by WHO, has been developed by University of Oxford in partnership with AstraZeneca. vaccine uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus (evirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. After vaccination, surface spike protein is produced, priming immune system to attack COVID-19 virus if it later infects body, said company.

Re: AstraZeneca Puts Its COVID-19 Vaccine Trial On Hold After Patient In UK Falls Ill