Has The Oxford Vaccine Be Hyped?

[Sunk]

Astra/Zeneca’s share price has plummeted on fears that the vaccine will not be licensed for use in the USA.

Investors are doubting the results.
AZ originally claimed 70% effectiveness. That was bumped up to 90% on the results from two doses. But that turns out to have been done by error. A more clinical test of Brazilians only gave a 62% result.
There was criticism that the trial did not test on any older people, anyone over 55 was excluded.

62% is still impressive, but a third less than the other two. Have we been slightly misled?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/26/scrutiny-grows-over-oxford-universityastrazeneca-vaccine

[ToraToraTora]

have a day off.

[ToraToraTora]

"that was bumped up to 90% on the results from two doses. But that turns out to have been done by error. " - yes but it was serendipitous, they discovered that half a dose + a later full dose is better. Stop it with the anti British codswallop.

[ToraToraTora]

the US were always going to favour their own vaccine.

[bobbinwales]

Possably, will after wait and see. Theres been mixed stories on this which is concerning- my understanding was it had been shown to be effective on older peopel but if your right about over 55s been excluded thats contradictary

[ToraToraTora]

"62% is still impressive, but a third less than the other two. Have we been slightly misled?" - did you read your own post? it's 90% even if it was discovered by an error in dosage. Many things have been discovered by accident. Even in lefty anti British land.

[Hopkirk]

Penicillin

[Sunk]

// "You've taken two studies for which different doses were used and come up with a composite that doesn't represent either of the doses," he said of the figure. "I think many people are having trouble with that." //

- David Salisbury, an associate fellow of the global health programme at the Chatham House think tank.

The mistake which resulted in the much better results were a smaller sample (about a quarter), and the sample were younger people who respond to treatments much better than the elderly.

TTT
AstraZeneca is a merger of the old ICI and a Swedish company. Scientists worldwide are sceptical of how the results have been presented. That is not anti-British. We will just have to wait and see if the AZ vaccine is effective and a commercial success.

Here is the Daily Torygraph being anti-British
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/26/manufacturing-error-clouds-oxfords-covid-19-vaccine-study-results/

[douglas9401]

More measured responses from the snug.

Messenger shot.

[gingejbee]

Sunk, please remember that in TTT's simplistic world, everything
good is British and everything foreign is rubbish....and you are anti-British if you think otherwise.

[jim360]

It's entirely appropriate to scrutinise the results, although it's worth noting that *all* drug companies so far have only announced preliminary vaccine studies.

It's more important to back a vaccine that works than a vaccine that's made here. Given the choice, I want to see the Astra/Zeneca one working, not least because it will be the cheapest, offered at cost rather than with an inflated profit margin, but more than anything else, I want the vaccine to be subject to the highest standards of scrutiny to ensure that it's genuinely effective and safe.

[woofgang]

Its interesting to me that the thrust of the criticism seems to be about/come from the USA where, as I understand it, the costs of the American vaccines are much higher and will be sold with the intention of making a profit.....if I was Pfizer and intent on making a profit, I'd have my worries about being both priced out and also ran because of the storage requirements.....just sayin'

[ToraToraTora]

I'm surprised at all you lefty types falling for this. Of course the US don't want a vaccine that's a couple of quid a go. Their big pharma want to charge what they like.

[jim360]

I did notice that a lot of criticism came from the US, but that's not a reason to ignore the potential for genuine issues. It's a matter of good practice to ensure that the data is accurate and that the issues, if any, are understood. I hope it's resolved favourably.

"Falling for this", indeed...

[gulliver1]

19.43 I think at times TTT feels very inferior, perhaps he ought to take a day off now and then.

[ToraToraTora]

normally profits horrify the spoon fed lefty types, I'd have thought one produced and charged at a couple of quid would sit well with our pretend socialists. It seems that anti Britishness is more important.

[pastafreak]

I just read this article in the Financial Times.

https://www.ft.com/content/4583fbf8-b47c-4e78-8253-22efcfa4903a

[woofgang]

can't get in without subscribing

[Sunk]

PF
Is the FT a lefty anti-British publication like the Daily Torygraph ?

[pastafreak]

Sorry about that Woof.
It came up on my Google news feed. When I went back for the link, it was no longer there...so I looked for it and linked to the first FT article I found.

Sunk...I have no idea. Besides this is not about anti Britishness. Whatever that is. It's about how research is conducted and reported. Or so I thought. I'm not a scientist. I just want to know that the vaccine is safe, and will do what it's supposed to do, for as much of the population as possible.

[Old_Geezer]

Probably useful as backup when more successful vaccines are in short supply. Probably popular at the right price. But who knows what will prove best in the field trials.