‘lAGGING BEHIND’: Emergency use authorizations must be issued, as Taiwan might not have immediate access to a vaccine that is made abroad, Su Ih-jen said

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 06, 2020
By: Staff writer, with CNA

A former top disease control official has urged the government to issue emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to speed up the development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, saying that plans to hold clinical trials before the end of the year are “simply too slow.”

Taiwan needs to take steps to accelerate the domestic development of a vaccine, because it might not have immediate access when one is discovered abroad, given the intensity of global demand, said Su Ih-jen (蘇益仁), former Centers for Disease Control director.

More than 100 COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in development worldwide, 18 of which have entered human trials as of July 2, according to the WHO.

The US, Europe and China are making the fastest progress and have said a vaccine could reach the market by the end of the year.    [FULL  STORY]