Brazil says Chinese COVID-19 vaccine trial can resume after suspension

Brazil health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday allowed the resumption of late-stage Brazilian clinical trials for China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, which had been suspended due to a study subject's death that was registered in Sao Paulo as a suicide.

Brazilian medical institute Butantan said in a statement it would restart trials later on Wednesday.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said China is pleased to see the resumption of the Chinese vaccine's clinical trials on Thursday.

He told a press briefing that China has always highly prioritized the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. There are now four Chinese vaccines in Phase 3 trials that are being carried out across the world, and preliminary results have shown a good level of safety, he said.

Wang added that China believes the COVID-19 prevention cooperation between China and Brazil will have positive contributions towards the global fight against the pandemic.

(CGTN)