The Oxford Vaccine’s True Efficacy Remains Uncertain

Posted December 8, 2020

External Article: The Dispatch

Scott Ganz, assistant professor in the School of Public Policy, co-authored the author "The Oxford Vaccine’s True Efficacy Remains Uncertain," published Dec. 7, 2020 in The Dispatch. 

Ganz and co-authors Kieran Allsop and James C. Capretta provide deeper examination of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, which currently sits behind other vaccine candidates in its proximity to the market.

Excerpt:

The preliminary results from the Oxford-AstraZeneca Phase III trial provided cause for optimism, but left many questions unanswered. While reporting an overall vaccine efficacy rate of 70 percent—a rate that exceeds the minimum 50 percent threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and FDA for approving COVID-19 vaccines—the trial sponsors further announced that the efficacy of their vaccine was 90 percent for a limited subset of participants who received a half dose and then a full dose one month apart. 

Just under 1 in 4 participants in the vaccine arm of the trial received the half-dose/full-dose regimen, which was the result of a manufacturing error and not a part of the original trial protocol. The rest, 3 out 4 trial volunteers in the vaccine arm, received two full doses one month apart. 

Full article.