Pakistan evaluating China’s clinical trials proposal, informs Mirza

• “Too early to say anything!” added Mirza indicating that the decision might take some time.
• China’s pharmaceutical company Sinopharm, claimed to have developed a vaccine for the coronavirus and has invited Pakistan’s National Institute of Health for clinical trials.

Pakistan is currently evaluating a Chinese pharmaceutical company offer to conduct clinical trials of inactivated novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in the country, informed Special Assistant for Health, Zafar Mirza on Friday.

“About vaccine for COVID-19: Pakistan is approached by a Chinese company for possible trails. We have asked for more information, which we will evaluate through relevant experts from safety, ethics, regulation and feasibility perspectives before deciding,” said Zafar Mirza, at his Twitter handle.

“Too early to say anything!” added Mirza indicating that the decision might take some time. The statement comes after China’s pharmaceutical company Sinopharm, claimed to have developed vaccine for the coronavirus and has invited Pakistan’s National Institute of Health for clinical trials.

“Through our representative HealthBee Projects Private Limited, we would like to extend our offer for cooperation on conducting clinical trials of our recently developed inactivated COVID-19 vaccine to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in our brotherly country, Pakistan,” read the letter sent to Major General Prof Dr. Aamir Ikram, Executive Director of National Institute of Health, by the general manager of China Sinopharm International Corp., Li Can.

“We hope that a successful clinical trial in Pakistan will make it one of the first few countries for the launch of a COVID-19 vaccine. The is the mission that Sinopharm has been given by the government," read the letter.

Talking to local media, Dr. Ikram informed that the public would get the good news within three months if it all goes well, and was hopeful that they would cover all the testing processes in three months period.