Bloomberg reported on December 17 that Peruvian Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti said that the Peruvian government allowed Chinese National Pharmaceutical Group to resume clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday.
Mazzetti said at a television press conference that the government will now restart vaccine procurement negotiations with the State Pharmaceutical Group. The Peruvian government has signed a preliminary agreement with Pfizer for 9.9 million doses, but due to supply problems, delivery is expected to decrease in 2021.
According to the Global Times, which previously reported on the 13th, Peru’s Ministry of Health said on the 12th that the clinical trials of the Chinese bio-coronavirus inactivated vaccine of the national pharmaceutical group were suspended due to a health problem.
Dr. Germán Málaga, a researcher at the University of Cayetano Eredía in Peru who conducted the vaccine, said that a 64-year-old volunteer developed complications of “neurological symptoms”, decreased leg strength and some problems with his movement.
However, Dr. Málaga told local media RPP Noticias that he did not think the volunteer’s health problems were caused by the vaccine, but needed more information.
