Experts stress need for final trial vaccine data

SAR government vaccine advisors on Saturday said they would only approve Covid vaccines for emergency use after phase three clinical trial results had been provided.

The government has placed one of its vaccine orders with mainland firm Sinovac, but plans for the first batch of this vaccine to arrive in February have been derailed after the company delayed the release of its final stage test data.

Earlier this week, the Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she had asked Beijing to provide the SAR with vaccines developed or manufactured on the mainland. Media reports said this could include vaccines manufactured by another mainland drug company, Sinopharm, with final stage data also pending.

Both firms have handed in trial data to the World Health Organization, which is now reviewing the vaccines for emergency use, although they have already been used in vaccination programmes on the mainland.

Infectious diseases specialist Professor Ivan Hung said he believed both companies would soon provide the necessary data. Hung, who is on the government advisory panel for Covid-19 vaccines, said Hong Kong’s strong health service meant it could wait a little longer.

“We have to wait for the phase three results. I think the phase three results will be very, very important for the advisory panel to assess the safety, as well as the efficacy of the vaccine. There is no rush for us to jump in. We have time, and our health system remains very robust, so I think we could afford to wait for the phase three results for assessment,” he said.

Another member on the advisory panel – former Controller for the Centre for Health Protection, Thomas Tsang – said vaccines would be vetted in the same manner, regardless of where they were produced.

Hong Kong has already ordered and approved a vaccine by Germany’s BioNTech. Authorities have also ordered the Oxford University vaccine by Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca, which the CE said is expected to arrive in Hong Kong in the second half the year.

Meanwhile, the Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip, who is in charge of the government inoculation initiative, has said the vaccination programme can start once the BioNTech vaccine arrives some time in late February.

Nip said vaccination centres would be set up across the city and that they would operate daily for at least six months, between 8 am and 8 pm.