Elderly people are expected to be eligible for AstraZeneca vaccine
Dissenting Opinion Still Still “No Proof Vaccination Effect for Seniors”
AstraZeneca Corona 19 Vaccine. (Photo = Reuters = Yonhap News)
AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been controversial over the effect of vaccination on the elderly, is attracting attention while vaccination against the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) is in full swing from mid-month.
The quarantine authorities are in a position that even if the effect is relatively inferior, if the effect is sufficient for the majority of the people to form immunity and safety is confirmed, the elderly can also receive sufficient vaccination.
According to the quarantine authorities and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 2nd, the’Corona 19 Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness Verification Advisory Group’ (hereinafter referred to as the Advisory Group) recommended’conditional approval’ for the Corona 19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca the day before.
This means that the approval may be subject to the future submission of the final results report of the clinical trial currently in progress and the interim analysis data for the clinical trial in the United States.
The advisory group put a weight on the vaccination side of the’effects of vaccination for the elderly’, which was of particular interest.
A number of experts who participated in the verification team expressed the opinion that “the administration of (vaccination) to the elderly cannot be ruled out just because the number of elderly people among the subjects participating in the clinical trial is small.”
In addition to the fact that the vaccination effect was confirmed in all subjects, including those over 65 years of age, and taking into account that the immune response after vaccination is similar to that of ordinary adults and the elderly, it is explained that vaccination is possible even in the elderly.
However, some of the advisory groups pointed out that there is a lack of data on the elderly.
They commented that the preventive effect was not clearly proven in the process of discussion, and that it is desirable to check additional clinical results and reflect them in the approval matters.
Some point out that vaccination for the elderly should be decided carefully.
Chairman of the Korean Medical Association (Medical Association), Choi, expressed his opposition to vaccination for the elderly, saying, “The Medical Association has reviewed the efficacy and safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine and judged that the efficacy for the elderly over the age of 65 has not been proven.”
He said, “There is a high possibility that people aged 65 years or older will become severely affected by Corona 19 infection,” he said. “The Pfizer Modena vaccine, which has been proven to be the most effective and highly effective, should be inoculated.” Insisted.
The quarantine authorities are in the position that once the effectiveness or safety of a certain degree is verified, the vaccination can be given to the elderly.
In a briefing the previous day, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) chief said, “The effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine may be relatively inferior, but if the effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine is sufficiently effective to form a population immunity and safety is confirmed, it is possible to inoculate sufficiently considering accessibility and frequency of adverse reactions. I think.”
He explained, “After confirming the contents of the approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, we will determine the target of the AstraZeneca vaccine and whether or not to immunize the elderly through deliberation by the Vaccination Deliberation Committee, and then finalize a detailed plan.”
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the proportion of the elderly aged 65 or older who participated in the clinical trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine is about 10% of the subjects, and there are still no sufficient results indicating how well this vaccine will work in the elderly.
This is because Oxford University, which developed the vaccine, for ethical reasons, did not want clinical trials in the elderly until it had sufficient data on safety in the 18-55 age group.
Accordingly, it is recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine should be administered only to adults under the age of 65, mainly in some European countries such as Germany and France.
[email protected] Reporter Eunji Cha, Hankyung.com