Islamabad: China, in collaboration with Pakistan’s National Institute of Health (NIH), has agreed to conduct clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine samples in Pakistan, a news source reported.
As per the publication, the China Sinopharm International Corporation General Manager corresponded with NIF Executive Director (ED) Professor Aamer Ikram regarding the clinical trials, and agreed that the protocols be expedited in order to initiate the trials soon. The ED revealed that the two organisations, along with Healthbee, had been corresponding over a project to develop vaccines in Pakistan, and that the NIH had offered to conduct the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine trials locally.
The tripartite agreement and correspondence between the above-mentioned institutions proved that the NIH owns the necessary elements and expertise for conducting the trials as per clinical trial guidelines. However, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Former Secretary Biological Drugs and Pharmacist Dr Obaid Ali said that the disclosure of preclinical data, which demonstrates the safety of human trials, should be the priority for these clinical trials. He said that various essential risk mitigation strategies needed to be ensured before commencing the trials so that any unusual and potential risks for the participants could be avoided.
