The ‘silver lining’ to the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine setback

The world’s most promising COVID-19 vaccine trial has suffered a setback, but a bioethicist says there’s a silver lining to the hitch.

Human trials of a possible vaccine developed at Oxford University, conducted by pharmaceutical company AstraZenica, have come to a halt after a participant became seriously ill.

The trial has been suspended while an independent panel of scientists confirm if the illness is was caused by the vaccine.

Bioethicist from the Australian Catholic University, Dr Xavier Symons, said the news is “disheartening”, but it’s not an uncommon occurrence.

“It does happen in trials, particularly large scale trials, that people might have a heart attack, or they may have a stroke, or break a leg. These are things that just happen as part of life,” he told Dee Dee.

“The silver lining in all of this news is that we can be assured that the vaccine companies are basically taking the utmost precautions to ensure that the eventual vaccine that’s delivered is safe.

“That is good news.”

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