London, September 12: A day after putting on hold the trial of an experimental coronavirus vaccine of AstraZeneca, Oxford University stated that it will resume the United Kingdom trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine, reports Bloomberg. Meanwhile, reports arrived that British clinical trials for AstraZeneca and Oxford University coronavirus vaccine have resumed following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) that it was safe to do so, the company said on Saturday.
Earlier on Thursday, the trail of the potential COVID-19 vaccine was halted after a woman who received an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed severe neurological symptoms. The study participant in late-stage testing had reported symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, which is a rare inflammation of the spinal cord. Due to the reason, the trial was halted, said drugmaker AstraZeneca spokesman Matthew Kent on Thursday. But now reports are arriving that Oxford University -- which initially developed the COVID-19 vaccine -- will resume the UK trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Oxford-AstraZeneca Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Pause is a 'Wake-Up Call And Shouldn't Discourage Researchers', Says WHO.
Here's the tweet by Bloomberg:
JUST IN: Oxford University will resume the U.K. trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine, after a temporary pause to investigate a volunteer’s sudden illness pic.twitter.com/dH9j0BWwR8
— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) September 12, 2020
In India too, Serum Institute of India has put on hold trials of AstraZeneca’s potential COVID-19 vaccine and had stated that until the British drugmaker restarts them, they will not continue with it. Releasing a statement, SII said, "We are reviewing the situation and pausing India trials."
Describing the incident as a 'wake up call' for the world, the World Health Organisation’s chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan cautioned the global community about the inevitable ups and downs of medical research. The Drugs Controller General of India too asked Serum for details on the suspension of trials overseas. With this, SII stated that it was following the DCGI’s directions.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2020 07:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).