Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia– Thousands of Chinese citizens have been injected with the experimental Covid-19 vaccine as part of an emergency use program. The vaccine’s emergency use program was approved by China’s health authorities in June 2020.
It is known that China National Biotec Group (CNBG), Sinovac Biotech, and CanSino Biological have provided vaccines to a number of their employees, medical personnel to diplomats. However, this policy has received criticism from researchers.
Indeed, these three companies are conducting phase three clinical trials of experimental vaccines outside of China. Phase three clinical trials to determine the effectiveness and efficacy of vaccines in large numbers of volunteers. If successful in this test, the company will apply for a distribution permit to the state health authority.
Regarding the administration of this experimental vaccine, Arthur Caplan from New York University said the steps taken by the three vaccine companies were reckless and dangerous, because this vaccine was still minimally tested and had not yet been fully published.
“This puts too many people at risk with no opportunity to learn about safety and efficacy [vaksin eksperimental] in large groups, “said Arhur Caplan, quoted from VOA News, as quoted on Saturday (3/10/2020).
Indeed, in times of pandemic everything needs speed, because under normal circumstances, it can take years of research and testing before a vaccine is generally available.
“Until we complete the phase 3 trial, we cannot have complete confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine,” said Lawrence Gostin, professor at Georgetown University.
Meanwhile, RAND Corporation Epidemiologist Jennifer Huang Bouey also thinks this hasty practice can backfire because it can lead to mistrust of vaccines so that fewer people are willing to be vaccinated.
According to the American Council on Science and Health, a research and education organization, the clinical trial success rate for an infectious disease vaccine is only 33.4%. This means that most vaccines that enter the clinical trial stage will fail.
Despite strong criticism from various parties, China claims that so far there has been no apparent adverse reaction among the inoculated people.
“Tens of thousands of vaccinated people have traveled to countries and regions with high risk of COVID-19. So far no one has been infected, and this proves the effectiveness of the vaccine,” said Zhou Song, CNBG’s chief legal advisor.
Previously, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that it had not given permission to use the Covid-19 vaccine to any country. Even according to WHO, it does not hope to give such approval this year.
This was conveyed by the WHO Indonesia Communication Team in an email to CNBC Indonesia, Monday (28/9/2020).
“WHO has not approved any vaccine for Covid-19 and we also do not anticipate such an agreement this year,” the agency said.
The statement was made after previously the Chinese state media, CGTN, reported that WHO had approved a vaccine made in that country and would help distribute it.
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