Beijing: China has roped in more than a dozen countries to conduct the final phase trials of its experimental COVID-19 vaccines, as it looks to stay ahead in the international race to immunise global population as part of its charm offensive to gain goodwill.
Across the world, in many countries, including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Russia, thousands of people have been injected with experimental vaccines made by China's three front-running vaccine makers or soon will be, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday quoting company, government statements and media reports.
For some of these countries at least, approving final phases of clinical trials has been viewed as a means of securing early access to vaccines, because a number of wealthy nations have already bought doses pending approval and a World Health Organization (WHO) mechanism.
In recent weeks, officials from Mexico, Bangladesh and Pakistan have been quoted in the media, stating about the trials as a means to gain future access to approved vaccines.
On September 25, a Chinese health official said the WHO had given its backing to China's emergency use of experimental vaccines even though clinical trials have not yet been completed.
Zheng Zhongwei, head of medical science development at the National Health Commission told media here that the WHO gave its blessings to China for its emergency use of vaccines in late June.
According to Zheng, the commission proposed emergency use of the vaccines in mid-June to protect people in high-risk occupations such as frontline health workers, border officials and overseas workers. The vaccines had still to complete phase three of clinical trials but the State Council approved the proposal on
June 24.