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According to WHO reports, 70 teams worldwide are working on vaccines against the coronavirus, three of which are in clinical trials. Typically, it takes years to develop a vaccine, but this time researchers are trying to drastically speed up the process. It is estimated that it will take 12-18 months. However, some experts warn of the risk of the vaccine being allowed to be mass-produced too hasty.
Worldwide, at least 70 teams are working to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, three of which are already being clinically tested. According to Business Insider, this is the number of potential vaccines that hit the WHO’s updated April 11 list. Work on the preparation is carried out by large pharmaceutical companies, smaller biotechnology companies, academic centers and non-profit organizations.
Creation a new vaccine is a time-consuming, multi-stage procedure that requires significant financial outlays. Usually, research takes years and requires investment of millions. During this time, the safety of the preparation is checked, as well as its effectiveness. Although this century is already facing the third epidemic caused by a pathogen from the coronavirus family – previously it was COVID-1 i MERS – an approved vaccine against these pathogens has not yet been developed.
COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trial phase
Due to the seriousness of the situation related to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (over 1,9 million cases in the world as of April 14), scientists are trying to significantly accelerate the work on the vaccine. The Chinese biotechnology company CanSino is already in the second phase of human clinical trials. The American startups Inovio Pharmaceuticals and Moderna, which started experiments with the participation of people, are also intensively operating. They are also followed by two large concerns – Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi.
CheckCoronavirus vaccine may be ready in the fall, Oxford researchers say
Is it safe to develop a quick vaccine?
The estimated time needed to develop a vaccine is a minimum of 12 to 18 months, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Paul Offit, co-inventor, commented on these words in an interview with CNN rotavirus vaccineswhich he worked on in the late 90s. The assumption that a vaccine would be ready in a year or a half, he thought, was absurdly optimistic. He is also sure that Fauci is aware of it.
The requirements for creating a new vaccine include a number of steps – laboratory tests, animal tests, tests on small and only then larger groups of people. According to experts, skipping any of the stages of work on a preparation in order to speed up its approval and release may involve some risk. An insufficiently tested vaccine can weaken the body’s immune response in the event of coronavirus infection.
According to Stat News reports, some drug manufacturers they omit testing the vaccine on animalsto get the finished preparation faster. According to Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, such deviations do not allow for a thorough study of the possible effects of the vaccine, including adverse effects.
Dr Peter Hotez
Limiting the time needed to develop vaccines is important in the overall context of this research industry. However, based on everything I currently know, such an experiment should not be opted for in the case of such a key vaccine as the coronavirus vaccine.
Have a question about the coronavirus? Send them to the following address: [email protected]. You will find a daily updated list of answers HERE: Coronavirus – frequently asked questions and answers.
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