Bahrain approves Sinopharm's COVID vaccine after Peru suspends trials over 'adverse event'

Bahrain has become the latest country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm, which the data suggest is 86 per cent effective. National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), the Kingdom's primary drug regulator, on December 13 announced that it has approved the Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine but did not specify, which one of the two drugs developed by the Chinese firm has been given the approval. 

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The regulators cited data from the Phase 3 study conducted in the country earlier this year, saying the vaccine is 86 per cent effective. The country had previously granted an emergency use authorisation to Sinopharm's vaccine for frontline workers. Bahrain had earlier this month approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which the companies claim to be 90 per cent effective. Bahrain's Health Ministry has also announced a national vaccination campaign and has urged citizens to register online for the programme. 

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"In line with the Ministry of Health’s continued commitment to supporting the Government’s comprehensive response to Covid-19 and safeguarding the health of all in the Kingdom, the Ministry urges citizens and residents to register online for the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine," Bahrain's Health Ministry said in a statement on December 13. 

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Sinopharm's vaccine gains approval in UAE

Last week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had become the first country to approve one of the vaccines developed by Sinopharm, citing the same data as Bahrain. Sinopharm conducted one of the most diverse studies for any vaccine out there as more than 30,000 participants took part from 125 nations. Sinopharm would be cheering about the news of approval in two countries as it will provide the company with an opportunity to seek additional approvals and eventually sell the drug to developing nations, who are highly likely to go for the Chinese vaccine against more expensive American drugs. 

Meanwhile, Peru has suspended the trials of Sinopharm's vaccine citing some severe adverse event occurring with one of the participants. The Latin American country was conducting trials on at least 12,000 patients. 

Read: COVID-19: UAE Says Chinese Vaccine Is 86% Effective, Poses No Serious Health Risks