Concerns raised over AstraZeneca vaccine data

A United States health agency raised concerns yesterday that AstraZeneca may have included out-of-date information during trials of its Covid19 vaccine, the day after the company said its drug was highly effective in preventing the disease.

The news comes as Europe continues to wrangle over supplies of the jab, and after weeks of uncertainty centred on fears it was linked to an increased risk of blood clots.

Germany yesterday threw its weight behind a European Union export ban, as it announced that strict virus measures would be imposed for five days over Easter to contain spiralling infections.

AstraZeneca said on Monday that stage three US trials had shown its vaccine was 79 per cent effective at preventing the disease. But in a late night release, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is headed by Dr Anthony Fauci, flagged concerns.

NIAID said a monitoring board “expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data”.

“We urge the company to work with the Data and Safety Monitoring Board to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible.”

European countries have come under fire for slow vaccine rollouts, which many blame on supply problems.

French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday his country should be giving vaccines “morning, noon and evening”, speaking after the government said 35 new mass inoculation centres would open soon.

“We’re going to change pace from April,” he said, adding there should be “no weekend and days off when it comes to vaccinations.”