Top UK Scientists Warn “Many, Or All” COVID-19 Vaccine Projects Could Fail, First Gen “Likely To Be Imperfect”By Tyler Durden MSM outlets seized on groundbreaking research produced by the Imperial College of London yesterday, claiming that the study’s findings that COVID-19 antibodies degrade during the months following infection bash the Great Barrington Declaration, arguing that herd immunity would be virtually impossible to establish without the help of a vaccine that can provoke a stronger immune system response.
Well, on Wednesday morning, as the US government struck a deal to buy $375 million worth of an experimental Eli Lilly COVID-19 antibody drug following questionable trial results, a team of leading scientists in the UK warned that the quest…Top UK Scientists Warn “Many, Or All” COVID-19 Vaccine Projects Could Fail, First Gen “Likely To Be Imperfect”
By Tyler Durden MSM outlets seized on groundbreaking research produced by the Imperial College of London yesterday, claiming that the study’s findings that COVID-19 antibodies degrade during the months following infection bash the Great Barrington Declaration, arguing that herd immunity would be virtually impossible to establish without the help of a vaccine that can provoke a stronger immune system response.
Well, on Wednesday morning, as the US government struck a deal to buy $375 million worth of an experimental Eli Lilly COVID-19 antibody drug following questionable trial results, a team of leading scientists in the UK warned that the quest for a vaccine could be complicated by an “imperfect” initial round of tests.
In fact, members of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce warned in an article published in The Lancet that a fully effective vaccine might never be developed, and that early versions of approved vaccines might not work for all people. The letter is clearly an effort to temper people’s expectations as a growing body of research shows that COVID-19 immunity is more complicated than many would suspect, while President Trump continues to insist that a vaccine will be available within weeks as he battles for reelection. Recently, Pfizer, the current US frontrunner, saw its CEO delay the release of trial data that was expected by the end of the week.
Importantly, the team warned that there might never be a working vaccine: “However, we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism,” said Kate Bingham, the chair of the UK Vaccines Taskforce.
“The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long.” The taskforce added that “many, and possibly all” of the vaccine projects currently in the works could fail.
Readers can find the letter below in its entirety (text courtesy of The Lancet ). No vaccine in the history of medicine has been as eagerly anticipated as that to protect against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Vaccination is widely regarded as the only true exit strategy from the pandemic that is currently spreading globally.
The UK is at the forefront of a huge international effort to develop clinically safe and effective vaccines. The Vaccine Taskforce was the brainchild of Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Government’s chief scientific advisor, who saw the need for a dedicated, nimble private-sector team of experts embedded in the Government to drive forward the development of vaccines for the UK and internationally. The Vaccine Taskforce was set up under the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in May, 2020, and I was asked to chair the taskforce, reporting directly to the prime minister, and working alongside Deputy Chair Clive Dix. The Vaccine Taskforce aims to ensure that the UK population has access to vaccines as soon as possible, while working with partners to support equitable access for populations worldwide, whether rich or poor.
However, we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism. The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long.
Our strategy has been to build a diverse portfolio across different formats to give the UK the greatest chance of providi…
