Bangladesh rejects clinical trial of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine

Bangladesh has rejected the clinical trial of an experimental Chinese coronavirus vaccine which was being developed by Sinovac Biotech in the country. The future of the vaccine now appears uncertain since the government has refused the request of co-financing by the Chinese drugmaker.

The Chinese company should fund the initiative with their own money as this is what they had told the government while seeking approval, BDnews24 reported citing Health Minister Zahid Maleque as saying.

"(And)that's why they were given permission," he said. "A country's job is done when it approves the clinical test of a vaccine. They never asked for co-funding when they sought approval for the trial. This is not a contract we have with the Chinese government. This is a private company and we cannot have a co-funding (arrangement) with a private company."

However, the country will still get the Sinovac vaccine, even if the trial does not go ahead as planned, Maleque also said. "We can buy the vaccine if it is approved. Sinovac will work with the WHO and it will provide different countries with the vaccine. We will also get it," Maleque added.

It was in August that Bangladesh had given approval for the final stage human trial of a prospective COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Chinese company.

The vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech was then described by Maleque as one of the most potential vaccine candidates in the world.

"We have given the approval for the human trial of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac in Bangladesh after examining all necessary research protocols," Maleque had then said.

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