Coronavirus: Scientists concerned by way data from Chinese drug firm Sinovac’s vaccine trials is coming out
- The firm’s Brazilian partner the Butantan Institute has promised to disclose more information after it claimed the drug had a 78 per cent efficacy rate
- But researchers question the figure and ask why the Chinese pharmaceutical company has not commented publicly on the trial results
Scientists have criticised the way data from the trials of a vaccine made by the Chinese drug company Sinovac has been released, saying it has caused confusion.
The complaints have prompted the pharmaceutical company’s Brazilian partner, the Butantan Institute, to promise to provide the complete data at a conference on Tuesday, although it is not clear whether they will be able to address all the concerns raised.
But Sinovac and the Chinese government have yet to comment on the data.
Jerome Kim, director general of the International Vaccine Institute, criticised the way information was trickling out: “It is confusing when the group [Sinovac] that has access to the data from Indonesia, Turkey, and Brazil makes no official comment as its trial data are presented piecemeal. Are these authorised or unauthorised? If they are authorised, why doesn’t the company comment?
“We don’t know how the analysis was done. We also don’t know if the analyses can be combined. Is this an official number that Sinovac will stand by?”