Drugmaker, Pfizer announced Monday that early data shows its coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective in preventing COVID-19.
What We Know:
- 90% efficacy is more than expected. The FDA has said it would expect at least 50% efficacy from the vaccine.
- Pfizer announced the update of their vaccine trials to Twitter. In a later response, Pfizer said, “Efficacy in the majority of participants, safety data and consistent manufacturing are the three requirements that are needed before we are able to file for Emergency Use Authorization.” Meaning the vaccine is not imminent. Pfizer continued, “This is a first but critical step as we continue our work to try to deliver a safe and effective #COVID19 vaccine”.
- The interim analysis looked at 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Among them, 43,000 volunteers got two doses of the vaccine or the placebo. The results showed that less than 10% of the infections were in participants who had the vaccine. Pfizer found that 90% of the COVID-19 cases were in people given the placebo.
- This trial is expected to continue until 164 of the 44,000 trial have contracted the virus. Pfizer will evaluate how the vaccine protects from developing severe forms of the disease and how it will protect those who have already been infected.
- Because of how other vaccines work with diseases, experts believe that even if you get COVID-19, the vaccine may help you from getting seriously ill.
- Pfizer plans to seek emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration soon after their volunteers have been monitored for two months after their second dose of the vaccine.
While we are nearing close to the vaccine, trials must show that they are safe and effective before authorization. The CDC says the “known and potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine must outweigh the known and potential risks of the vaccine for use under what is known as an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)”.
