Peru: Sinovac vaccine volunteer allegedly dies from COVID-19 induced pneumonia

A volunteer in the local Peruvian trial of a coronavirus vaccine produced by China's Sinopharm Group Co Ltd has died from COVID-19-related pneumonia. According to Cayetano Heredita University, which conducted the trials in collaboration with Sinopharm, the female volunteer was “fighting for her life” for a week despite receiving all necessary treatments. Although approved by the Chinese Communist Party for mass use, the Sinopharm vaccine has resulted in severe side effects across its trials.

Read: China Conditionally Approves Sinopharm Vaccine

Read: EU Official: AstraZeneca Pulls Out Of Vaccine Delivery Talks

University retracts its statement

The university later retracted its statement and said that the volunteer had received a placebo rather than the vaccine. “It is important to stipulate that the death of the participant is not related to the vaccine since she received the placebo, and we will therefore report to the relevant regulatory and ethics bodies and maintain the course of this phase three study,” the university said in a statement. However, it is being said that the University’s changed stance came after it was instructed by Peruvian health authorities to do so. 

Last month, the country had halted the clinical trials for Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine candidate reportedly due to a “serious adverse event” involving one of the volunteers for the study. The Peruvian government reportedly said in a statement that the event is currently “under investigation to determine if it is related to the vaccine or if there is another explanation.” 

Sinopharm trials in Peru

China’s Sinopharm Group Co Ltd is conducting trials in Peru with nearly 12,000 volunteers and neurological problems in one of its participants just when it was about to complete the first stage of trials in the next few days. Meanwhile, as Peru has recorded more than 36,000 deaths due to COVID-19, the country’s health ministry said in a statement that the decision to “temporarily suspend” clinical trials is a safety measure that contemplated in the regulations for clinical trials along with the protocols established to safeguard the health of research subjects. 

Read: Peru Suspends China Vaccine Trials Due To 'serious Adverse Event'

Read: Iraq Approves Sinopharm, AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines For Emergency Use Against COVID-19

(Image: AP)