Illustrative photo (Source: baochinhphu.vn)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam has started human trials ofa COVID-19 vaccine.
Volunteerswere recruited for the first phase of the trials of a vaccine on December10 in Hanoi.
Thevaccine was produced by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology company, oneof four organisations researching COVID-19 vaccines in Vietnam.
Speakingat the recruitment ceremony, Nguyen Ngo Quang, deputy director of the Ministryof Health’s Administration of Science Technology and Training, said: “The corepurpose of the first phase of human trials is to evaluate the safety of avaccine when used on humans, not its effectiveness, potency, or ability toprovoke an immune response in the body.
“Soour main objective for this first phase is to identify the optimal dose so wecan move on to the second phase.
“Thesecond and third phases are when we evaluate the vaccine’s immunogenicityon a wide population.”
Theceremony was co-organised by the Ministry of Health and the Military MedicalAcademy.
Theacademy is also the venue where vaccine injections will take place.
“Allaccommodation, facilities and equipment are ready for the human trials at theacademy. Everything has been prepared in accordance with standards required bythe Ministry of Health,” said the academy’s director, Lieutenant General Do Quyet.
“Wehave prepared an isolated place for vaccine injections, volunteer monitoringand emergency aid.”
Thevolunteers will be injected with the first dose of the vaccine on December17 and the second dose 28 days later, according to the health ministry.
Sixtyvolunteers are expected to be recruited for phase one, Quyet added.
“Wewill recruit 60 volunteers and divide them into three groups, each group willbe testing a different dose of vaccine, from 25 to 50 to 75 micrograms,” hesaid.
“Weput the safety of volunteers first. So in the preparation and selectionprocesses, a health check is compulsory. And after they have been injected withthe vaccine we will continue to monitor and be ready to handle unexpectedsituations.
“Asthe head of the clinical trial and research programme I can guarantee that ifthe vaccine is not safe we will stop the trials.
“Ifeverything goes well, by the end of February next year we will have completedthe first and second phases and move on to the third phase, which will have alot more participants. If we succeed with the third phase, it is expected thatby the end of 2021 the vaccine will be widely distributed.”
Thevolunteers registering for the trial on Thursday were mostly students at theacademy. All of their personal information is kept confidential.
A21-year-old male volunteer said: “The research of a COVID-19 vaccine has beengoing on for quite a long time in Vietnam. And the Ministry of Health has itsown medical ethics committee, so I believe the vaccine is safe.
“Iwant to take part in the trials to prove its safety so more people will beinjected and there won’t be a pandemic in the future.”
A20-year-old female volunteer said: “I’m a student at the academy, so when I wasinformed about the human trials, I registered.
“Ifeel very nervous, because COVID-19 is a global pandemic, and vaccines arebeing widely tested around the world. Vietnam is one of the 42 countries whichare developing the vaccines. I hope I can be one of the people who contributeto the creation of the vaccine.
“Ireally expect the vaccine will be effective. But I also think safety shouldalways come first. I hope the vaccine will be safe, effective and reasonablypriced.”/.
VNA
