COVID-19 Vaccine: There Might Be No Need For Clinical Trials – NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ruled out a possible local clinical trial on the proposed ₦400bn vaccines before administering them on Nigerians.

NAFDAC said since the World Health Organisation (WHO) had granted approval to the vaccines, there might be no need to conduct another clinical trial.

It, however, said vaccine will be subjected to proper revalidation before administering them on Nigerians.

Read also: Nigeria To Start Production Of Vaccine Soon – NAFDAC

“Once the vaccine arrives, a sample will be taken to the lab for a test. Once its safety and efficacy are certified by NAFDAC, it will be administered on Nigerians. We don’t expect anything to be different though.

“The truth is that once a vaccine is approved by the WHO, it is assumed that it has passed through some preliminary stage of the trial. It is a known fact that for the WHO to sanction a vaccine, it must have gone through a series of trial here and there,” NAFDAC’s Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola said.

While explaining that NAFDAC’s evaluation of the vaccine would not be rigorous especially as it’s not a new vaccine, Akintola stressed that its efficacy and safety needed to be ratified.

“It is just for ratification. There is nothing on drugs or vaccines you will do without the consent of WHO. It is also expected that the regulatory body in each country would do its work in tandem with the WHO standard,” he stated.