Why Pfizer's or Moderna's CoViD-19 vaccine cannot be 95% effective?

  • Hamid Merchant

Press/Media: Research

Description

The actual efficacy of the vaccine is likely to be much lower. This publicity, no doubt, has given the world great hope but can be disappointing to the public when the long-term efficacy was not as good as claimed in the interim assessment. Albeit not a surprise to many clinicians and scientists, the public may react badly. This may also fuel anti-vaccine thoughts and is not in the greater interest of public safety and may jeopardise their trust in science and medicine. Moreover, this is going to be the first mRNA-based vaccine being developed for the mass public use and a longer-term safety and efficacy assessment is inevitable. The mass publicity and celebration of the interim results, therefore, was a very bad idea and likely to have adverse implications.

Subject

CoViD-19; Coronavirus disease

Period2 Dec 2020 → 4 Dec 2020

Media coverage

2

Media coverage

  • TitleHuddersfield drug expert warns against claims that Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is '95% effective'
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletHuddersfield Examiner
    Media typePrint
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date4/12/20
    DescriptionA pharmaceuticals expert and researcher from Huddersfield has urged for more caution over claims that Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective.

    In recent days the firms behind two of the vaccines set to be offered to the British public to end the coronavirus crisis - Pfizer and Moderna - have both claimed their new drugs were 95% effective in protecting the public from infection.
    Producer/AuthorNick Lavigueur
    URLhttps://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/health/huddersfield-drug-expert-warns-against-19392988#comments-section
    PersonsHamid Merchant
  • TitleHuddersfield coronavirus vaccinations to be carried out at John Smith's Stadium
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletHuddersfield Examiner
    Media typePrint
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date2/12/20
    DescriptionThe John Smith's Stadium on Leeds Road, Huddersfield, has been chosen as the place where Kirklees folk will receive their coronavirus vaccination YorkshireLive can reveal.

    Today the UK became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for mass vaccination. The claims the vaccine offers 95% protection have been disputed by some, including Huddersfield University pharmacy lecturer Dr Hamid Merchant.
    Producer/AuthorRobert Sutcliffe
    URLhttps://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/huddersfield-coronavirus-vaccinations-carried-out-19386931
    PersonsHamid Merchant