Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Major COVID-19 Vaccine Study Paused After Illness
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
September 8, 2020

Share

Late-stage studies of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate are on temporary hold while the company investigates if a report of a patient with a serious side effect is linked to the shot.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the company said its “standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data.”

AstraZeneca didn’t reveal any information about the possible side effect except to call it “a potentially unexplained illness.” The news site STAT first reported the pause in testing, saying the possible side effect occurred in the United Kingdom.

Vaccine Trial Expected to Involve 30,000 People

An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in vaccinations covers studies in the U.S. and other countries. Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the U.S. for its largest study of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine, developed by Oxford University, in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.

Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. Those two vaccines work differently than AstraZeneca’s, and the studies already have recruited about two-thirds of the needed volunteers.

Temporary holds of large medical studies aren’t unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it’s possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.

“We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline,” the company statement said.

Drugmakers Issue Unusual Safety Pledge

The development came the same day that AstraZeneca and eight other drugmakers issued an unusual pledge, vowing to uphold the highest ethical and scientific standards in developing their vaccines.

The announcement follows worries that President Donald Trump will pressure the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a vaccine before it’s proven to be safe and effective.

The U.S. has invested billions of dollars in efforts to quickly develop multiple vaccines against COVID-19. But public fears that a vaccine is unsafe or ineffective could be disastrous, derailing the effort to vaccinate millions of Americans.

Representatives for the FDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday evening.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

LA Fire Survivors Accuse State Farm of Delaying Claims. Should It Get OK for a Rate Hike?

DON'T MISS

Six Deadly Minutes: How Israeli Soldiers Killed 15 Rescue Workers in Gaza

DON'T MISS

Millions on the Street Virtually Overnight: How Trump’s Budget Proposal Could Affect CA

DON'T MISS

$20K Reward Offered for Tips in Killing of Caleb Quick in Clovis

DON'T MISS

Willy Adames’ Bat Heats Up With Two HRs in Giants Win

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Cite 95 in Motorcycle Safety Operation

DON'T MISS

Shoemaker Skechers Is Sold for $9 Billion to Become a Private Company

DON'T MISS

Google Has Launched New Film and TV Production Wing, Business Insider Reports

DON'T MISS

Austin Riley’s Home Runs Snap Dodgers’ Win Streak at 7 Games

DON'T MISS

Fire Breaks Out at Valero Benicia Refinery, Residents Urged to Stay Indoors

UP NEXT

Cinco De Mayo Celebrates Resilience and Culture of Mexican People

UP NEXT

Netanyahu Says New Gaza Offensive Will Be Intensive

UP NEXT

Warren Buffett Shocks Shareholders by Announcing His Intention to Retire at the End of the Year

UP NEXT

Don’t Have a REAL ID Yet? That Could Cause You Travel Headaches After May 7

UP NEXT

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wins a Second 3-Year Term

UP NEXT

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial to Delve Into the Seediest Side of Rap’s ‘Bad Boy’

UP NEXT

Robbie Ray’s Gem Leads the Giants Over the Rockies

UP NEXT

World’s Tallest and Smallest Dogs Meet Up for a Playdate

UP NEXT

University of Texas Chancellor Is Named President of the University of California

UP NEXT

Here’s Why May the 4th Is Celebrated as Star Wars Day Across the Galaxy

$20K Reward Offered for Tips in Killing of Caleb Quick in Clovis

1 hour ago

Willy Adames’ Bat Heats Up With Two HRs in Giants Win

1 hour ago

Fresno Police Cite 95 in Motorcycle Safety Operation

1 hour ago

Shoemaker Skechers Is Sold for $9 Billion to Become a Private Company

2 hours ago

Google Has Launched New Film and TV Production Wing, Business Insider Reports

2 hours ago

Austin Riley’s Home Runs Snap Dodgers’ Win Streak at 7 Games

2 hours ago

Fire Breaks Out at Valero Benicia Refinery, Residents Urged to Stay Indoors

2 hours ago

Warren Buffett Will Remain Chairman at Berkshire Hathaway When New CEO Takes Over

3 hours ago

Cinco De Mayo Celebrates Resilience and Culture of Mexican People

3 hours ago

Democratic-Led States Sue to Block Trump’s Halting of Wind Projects

3 hours ago

LA Fire Survivors Accuse State Farm of Delaying Claims. Should It Get OK for a Rate Hike?

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Rossana Valverde’s Pasadena home of 35 years is still stan...

13 minutes ago

13 minutes ago

LA Fire Survivors Accuse State Farm of Delaying Claims. Should It Get OK for a Rate Hike?

A dead man is removed from the rubble of the Manoun family's house after it was targeted by an Israeli army strike in Jabalia al-Balad, Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP/Jehad Alshrafi)
33 minutes ago

Six Deadly Minutes: How Israeli Soldiers Killed 15 Rescue Workers in Gaza

Fresno homeless encampment sweep
42 minutes ago

Millions on the Street Virtually Overnight: How Trump’s Budget Proposal Could Affect CA

1 hour ago

$20K Reward Offered for Tips in Killing of Caleb Quick in Clovis

1 hour ago

Willy Adames’ Bat Heats Up With Two HRs in Giants Win

The new police station in southeast Fresno. (GV Wire/David Taub)
1 hour ago

Fresno Police Cite 95 in Motorcycle Safety Operation

A Skechers sign is shown in San Francisco, March 17, 2024. (AP File)
2 hours ago

Shoemaker Skechers Is Sold for $9 Billion to Become a Private Company

The logo of Google LLC is shown on a building in San Diego, California, U.S., October 9, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File photo)
2 hours ago

Google Has Launched New Film and TV Production Wing, Business Insider Reports

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend