CEOs Pledge to Uphold Scientific Integrity for COVID-19 Vaccine

CEOs of the nine top biopharmaceutical companies signed a pledge committing to uphold scientific integrity throughout COVID-19 vaccine development.

The announcement comes amidst increased scrutiny surrounding COVID-19 vaccine trials. Many are concerned the unprecedented speed of development will put patients at risk while others are worried vaccine development and approval will be used as political leverage.

To ease these concerns, nine organizations taking part in COVID-19 vaccine development vow the scientific process will be upheld.

 ”We believe this pledge will help ensure public confidence in the rigorous scientific and regulatory process by which COVID-19 vaccines are evaluated and may ultimately be approved,” the pledge stated.

Signed by the CEOs of AstraZeneca, BioNTech, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Inc., Novavax, Inc., Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi, the pledge outlines four key best practices:

• The safety and well-being of patients receiving COVID-19 vaccine candidates remain a top priority
• Clinical trials adhere to high standards of scientific and ethical conduct, and manufacturing processes remain equally as rigorous
• Efforts will work toward the dissemination of vaccine candidates, ensuring global accessibility
• A vaccine will only be submitted for approval or emergency use authorization once safety and efficacy are demonstrated in a Phase 3 clinical trial and the vaccine candidate meets the standards of approval from regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration.

Many of the signed organizations have already entered phase 3 clinical trials of their vaccine candidates, and the pledge ensures this process will not be unnecessarily rushed. The golden standard, Phase 3 clinical trials provide evidence for the effectiveness and safety of a vaccine.

As development and study continue, the CEOs in charge of these studies promise patient safety and well-being will remain a top priority. They also pledge to take guidance from regulatory experts when it comes time for the approval of an eligible candidate in a manner that is consistent with historic and best practice guidelines.

These organizations have already developed 70 proven vaccines for other global diseases, according to an earlier press release. Maintaining this level of excellence and scientific rigor will promote effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines.