Sinovac and Sinopharm have submitted data in applications for the World Health Organisation's emergency use listing. — AFP picGENEVA, March 31 — WHO vaccine experts said today that an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese Covid-19 vaccines showed they demonstrated “safety and good efficacy”, but that more data was needed.
The UN health agency’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization said it had reviewed the data provided so far, and that both vaccines “demonstrated safety and good efficacy against symptomatic Covid-19 disease”. “Post-introduction vaccine effectiveness and safety studies will be needed to address the impact on those sub-populations,” SAGE said in a list of highlights published after a meeting last week to discuss developments on vaccines against a range of diseases.
SAGE, which advises the WHO on immunisation policies, said it would hold off on issuing recommendations for how the two Chinese vaccines should best be used until after another expert panel rules on their EUL applications.