Add whole debacle with DSMB/NIH rebuking AstraZeneca press conference

Using Washington Time article as they are the ones who leaked the letter between the board and AZ, plus StatNews for Fauci's statements and other details
ljl-covid · Mar 24, 2021 · dcf5c3a · dcf5c3a
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@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ Note that the WHO will generally be unable to make statements that their more pr
 * [Efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01 (B.1.1.7)](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3779160) finds that while virus neutralization activity is 9-fold lower in the B.1.1.7 variant than in the "common" virus, the vaccine was similarly efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in both variants
 * [Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) Covid-19 vaccine against the B.1.351 variant in South Africa](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.10.21251247v1) concludes that the vaccine did not show protection against the variant in mild to moderate cases, while protection against severe cases remains undetermined due to the study participants who became positive to the virus being small numbers, and young and healthy, with no hospitalizations or deaths necessarily expected in any case; the University of Oxford announces these results, stating that [ChAdOx1 nCov-19 provides minimal protection against mild-moderate COVID-19 infection from B.1.351 coronavirus variant in young South African adults](https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-02-07-chadox1-ncov-19-provides-minimal-protection-against-mild-moderate-covid-19-infection#), and in response, [South Africa suspends use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after it fails to clearly stop virus variant](https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/south-africa-suspends-use-astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-after-it-fails-clearly-stop)
 * After 10 March 2021, several European countries suspended administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, following some unusual blood clotting events. Statements in English are available from the [Norwegian Medicines Agency](https://legemiddelverket.no/nyheter/norwegian-medicines-agency-notified-of-blood-clots-and-bleeding-in-younger-people-after-vaccination-with-astrazeneca-vaccine) and the German [Paul Ehrlich Institute](https://www.pei.de/EN/newsroom/hp-news/2021/210315-pei-informs-temporary-suspension-vaccination-astra-zeneca.html). Later on 15 March, [Germany suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine, along with Italy, France, Spain](https://www.dw.com/en/germany-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-along-with-italy-france-spain/a-56878920) despite the Italian Medicines Agency having stated the previous day [Unjustified alarm on safety of AstraZeneca vaccine](https://www.aifa.gov.it/en/web/guest/-/aifa-ingiustificato-allarme-sulla-sicurezza-del-vaccino-astrazeneca)
-* [AZD1222 US Phase III trial met primary efficacy endpoint in preventing COVID-19 at interim analysis](https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/astrazeneca-us-vaccine-trial-met-primary-endpoint.html) in an AstraZeneca press release announcing the US trial found overall 79% efficacy including in 65+ people (who constituted 20% of the trial subjects, and 60% of them had comorbidities), and 100% efficacy in preventing severe disease and hospitalization; AstraZeneca also points out that the specifically monitored for thrombosis in general and [cerebral venous sinus thrombosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_venous_sinus_thrombosis) (due to the events in Europe) and found no signs of it
+* [AZD1222 US Phase III trial met primary efficacy endpoint in preventing COVID-19 at interim analysis](https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/astrazeneca-us-vaccine-trial-met-primary-endpoint.html) in an AstraZeneca press release announcing the US trial found overall 79% efficacy including in 65+ people (who constituted 20% of the trial subjects, and 60% of them had comorbidities), and 100% efficacy in preventing severe disease and hospitalization; AstraZeneca also points out that the specifically monitored for thrombosis in general and [cerebral venous sinus thrombosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_venous_sinus_thrombosis) (due to the events in Europe) and found no signs of it; however, this press release was [criticized the following night, in an unusual move](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/niaid-statement-astrazeneca-vaccine), by the [DSMB](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_monitoring_committee), which was quickly picked up by the NIIAD and NIH as well as [Anthony Fauci commenting on it](https://www.statnews.com/2021/03/23/astrazeneca-may-have-used-outdated-information-in-announcing-covid19-vaccine-results/); the Washington Post, which has obtained a letter from the DSMB to AstraZeneca, states that [AstraZeneca used ‘outdated and potentially misleading data’ that overstated the effectiveness of its vaccine, independent panel says](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/astrazeneca-oxford-vaccine-concerns/2021/03/23/2f931d34-8bc3-11eb-a33e-da28941cb9ac_story.html), the criticism mainly being around the fact that the data appeared cherry-picked to claim a higher efficacy than the 69% to 75% inferred when all data are included, and the DSMB having discussed this with AstraZeneca prior to their press release
 
 
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