Germany authorises clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine on human volunteers

Germany has now given a green signal to clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine on human volunteers, the regulatory body said on April 22. Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus after German ministers claimed to have contained the first wave of COVID-19 infections, an RNA vaccine developed by German firm BioNtech and American giant Pfizer will be subjected to "first-in-human trial". Till now, the pandemic has claimed over 178,600 lives and infected 2.5 million people around the world but no definite cure has been derived. 

However, the German regulatory body has reportedly said that the approval of trying coronavirus vaccines was the outcome of a “careful assessment of the potential risk/benefit profile” of the candidate for the vaccine. According to international media reports, the vaccine trials will witness at least ‘200 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 55 years’ who will be injected with variants of the RNA vaccine. BioNtech reportedly said that the second phase of the clinical tests would involve human volunteers who belonged to more vulnerable groups. 

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However, it still remains unspecified when the trials would begin but the German regulatory body has reportedly hailed the move as an ‘important milestone' in the direction towards finding a reliable cure to the highly contagious disease. According to the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies, since the outbreak originated in China in late December 2019, at least 80 vaccine projects have taken place to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. The German clinical trials would be, reportedly only the fourth one to have been authorised globally.

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COVID-19 outbreak ‘under control’ in Germany

While most part of the world is currently combatting the deadly coronavirus outbreak, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on April 17 that the country is “again under control” from the pandemic. Crediting the positive change in Germany to early lockdown, Spahn said that the government would make ten million masks every week starting from August. 

German Health Minister said that since April 12, “there are more recovered people every day than new infections”. Spahn also called it an “important and encouraging development”. Spahn showcased optimism and noted that Germany has a “good chance” of battling the COVID-19 pandemic and lauded the citizens and its healthcare system. 

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(With agency inputs)