No Specific Side Effects Mentioned
Major Disruption to Trump's COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Before US Presidential Election
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company developing a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in collaboration with the University of Oxford in the UK, announced that it will temporarily halt all ongoing clinical trials due to the occurrence of side effects during the trial process. Concerns are rising that the vaccine, known as a global frontrunner in COVID-19 vaccine development, will be delayed, potentially disrupting the Trump administration's plan to begin COVID-19 vaccinations before the US presidential election in early November.
According to medical media Stat News on the 8th (local time), AstraZeneca stated in a press release, "An unexplained suspected adverse reaction has occurred during the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial process, leading to a temporary suspension of the ongoing trials." They explained, "In large-scale clinical trials, diseases may occur incidentally, and trial suspensions are a common occurrence when such events happen." They added, "We are swiftly investigating the cause to minimize any impact on the vaccine release schedule and will conduct an independent review of the cause."
AstraZeneca did not disclose which specific clinical trial or what side effects occurred. Stat News, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the side effects occurred during the UK clinical trial phase; the exact symptoms or severity are unknown, but the patient experiencing the side effects is expected to recover soon. Previously, AstraZeneca announced in July that about 60% of the 1,000 participants who received the vaccine in Phase 1 trials experienced side effects, which were very mild, including fever, headache, and muscle pain.
Immediately after the announcement, concerns about a delayed vaccine release grew, causing AstraZeneca's stock price to plunge more than 6% during trading. AstraZeneca had been regarded as the fastest among global pharmaceutical companies in developing a COVID-19 vaccine and had raised expectations for a vaccine release in October.
The Trump administration's plan to conduct vaccinations before the US presidential election is also expected to face significant setbacks. Earlier, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reportedly sent letters to states indicating the need to secure vaccination sites and prepare by November 1.
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