Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Trial To Go Ahead Despite Death Of Volunteer Who Got A Meningitis Jab
Brazilian authorities have said that the ongoing clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country will continue, even after it confirmed the death of a volunteer.
The regulator said testing of the vaccine would continue after the volunteer's death. It provided no further details, citing medical confidentiality of those involved in trials.
The Federal University of Sao Paulo, which is helping coordinate phase 3 clinical trials in Brazil, separately said that the volunteer was Brazilian but did not say where the person lived.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the trial would have been suspended if the volunteer who died had received the COVID-19 vaccine, suggesting the person was part of the control group that was given a meningitis jab.
This has also been reported by Bloomberg, which quoted a source who wanted to remain unidentified.
CNN Brasil reported that the volunteer was a 28-year-old man who lived in Rio de Janeiro and died from Covid-19 complications.
Anvisa provided no further details, citing medical confidentiality of those involved in trials.
It is up to an independent review board to decide whether trials will continue, a spokesman for the university said.?
This is the second time the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and is said to be the most advanced in the world has run into troubles during clinical trials.
In September the clinical trials were suspended after a volunteer was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be caused by viral infections.
It has since been resumed across the world.?
The World Health Organization (WHO) says nearly 180 vaccine candidates are being tested around the world but none has yet completed clinical trials.
