Input 2021.01.27 10:53
German government “Compared to other pharmaceutical companies, clinical trial data for the elderly are insufficient”
European Medicines Agency reviewed that vaccination was allowed only for certain age groups except for the elderly
Vaccine efficacy is still controversial… Question of the possibility of forming group immunity
The controversy over AstraZeneca’s Corona 19 vaccine, which Korea has contracted to import, is seldom subsided despite the company’s aggressive clarification. Following a German media report that the AstraZeneca vaccine is only 8% effective in the age group over 65, some point out that AstraZeneca did not properly design the clinical trials for the elderly compared to other pharmaceutical companies.
According to the Financial Times (FT) and the Guardian on the 26th (local time), the German government recently announced that the controversy about the effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s vaccine against the elderly, raised by local media, is not true. AstraZeneca also issued an official statement saying the report was completely wrong. However, the German government pointed out that it is also clear that AstraZeneca’s clinical data should be questioned.
That doesn’t mean the German government is giving full confidence in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. According to FT, a German government official is concerned about AstraZeneca’s vaccine efficacy data that “the clinical data supplied by AstraZeneca are less effective for the elderly than clinical data from other manufacturers (Pfizer, Modena, etc.).” He even made a voice.
The controversy over AstraZeneca’s vaccine has continued since last year. In particular, it has been pointed out that in Australia, it is difficult to form a population immunity with the AstraZeneca vaccine. According to each manufacturer’s announcement, Pfizer and Modena vaccine showed an efficacy of around 95% in phase 3 clinical trials, while the AstraZeneca vaccine showed 62% efficacy when administered all doses.
According to foreign media, Andrew Miller, president of the Western Australian Medical Association, said, “Until more data are available that the AstraZeneca vaccine is as effective as other vaccines, there is a risk that the AstraZeneca vaccine may not achieve population immunity.” “Australia has well controlled Corona 19, so there is time to wait for the best vaccine to build public trust. Why should we be satisfied with the next best option?”
Some are leading to the prospect of withholding AstraZeneca vaccination for the elderly. According to the British Guardian and BBC Broadcasting, the Commissioner of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) attended the European Parliament’s Health Committee on the 26th (local time) to answer questions from lawmakers, excluding the possibility of approving AstraZeneca vaccines only for certain age groups. Did not do it.
“We don’t want to be confused because there is a scientific and professional discussion going on,” he said. “There is a possibility that a conclusion will be made to approve use by focusing on a specific age group, and a conclusion may be drawn to target a wider range of age groups.”
Commissioner Cook pointed out that studies have been conducted on only a very small number of people to date regarding whether the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective for the elderly. “What the research data means about the population for which the research has been conducted, as well as the population that has not been studied, We are trying to find out what is expected (when vaccinated),” he added.
Meanwhile, AstraZeneca countered the suspicion head-on, claiming that its vaccine is also effective in the elderly. In an official statement, AstraZeneca claimed that according to the data published in the journal Lancet, the elderly also showed strong immune responses, including 100% antibody formation after the second vaccination. He stressed that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) in the UK has approved the use of older people.