China seeks WHO’s approval for its COVID-19 vaccine candidates

• China has requested the WHO to assess its Covid-19 vaccines to list them under emergency use.
• Wanting to make the vaccines available for global use, China sought WHO’s approval.
• WHO coordinator assured that the vaccines would be made available for licenses if approved

THD NewsDesk, Geneva: On October 6, WHO confirmed ongoing deliberations with China regarding examining its COVID-19 vaccines to make them available for international use. China seeks approval of its locally-produced vaccines claimed to be effective against coronavirus. On request, the World Health Organisation held preliminary discussions with China to have its vaccines incorporated in a list for emergency use. 

WHO coordinator for essential medicines and health technologies in the Western Pacific region, Socorro Escalante, informed in an online news conference,

“Potentially through this emergency use listing the quality and safety of these vaccines and efficacy could be assessed. ..and then this could be made available for our licensees,” Escalante said.

So far, four experimental vaccines are undergoing last-stage clinical trials conducted by – 

• State-backed China National Biotec Group (CNBG) 
• Sinovac Biotech (SVA.O) and CanSino Biologics (6185.HK) 688185.SS, respectively.

These vaccines have already been tested in countries as Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.

However, concerns are raised on these vaccines’ safety as experts have not yet tested them.

WHO has a provision for emergency use listing of unlicensed vaccines and treatments after a thorough assessment; in the absence of effective vaccines against the fatal Covid-19 virus, the World Health Organisation has expedited the process. WHO’s approval allows member states and UN procurement agencies to determine the efficacy of these vaccines.

Source: NDTV