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Originally Posted by Chris
This is a tad naïve - you offer “they followed the science” as if it’s an absolute statement that can be offered without qualification, when clearly, as you acknowledge yourself, it is not. Those countries that authorised it for over 65s and those that did not were all following the science and yet somehow came to different conclusions.
There was actually perfectly adequate scientific data to support emergency use authorisation, and we are after all in an emergency. The phase 3 trials lacked sufficient test subjects in that age group to produce definitive data but there was ample data on antibody response and equally ample understanding that it was most likely this would translate into comparable vaccine efficacy in that group.
Given the problem Germany and France have with anti-vax movements they more than anyone should have understood that you can’t simply say you’re following the science as if science exists in a cultureless vacuum. How the science is communicated and how it is used politically are vitally important - as Germany is now discovering to its cost.
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But these countries chose not to do an Emergency Use Authorisation so the weight of evidence needs to be stronger. The opinion of the various regulatory bodies in a number of countries was that there was insufficient evidence of efficacy in the over 65s. In the absence of any other vaccine, that's a bold move but with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine being on line, not such a risk as under 65s get AZ and over 65s get Pfizer/BioNTech who did produce enough data to make a judgement.
Where there's a stronger anti-vaccine sentiment, I don't think 'it will probably work in over 65s' is a strong argument to increase vaccine uptake. We have lots of arguments that it hasn't been tested enough in this country. The fact that efficacy in over 65s was assumed rather than proved was somewhat glossed over.
---------- Post added at 18:31 ---------- Previous post was at 18:28 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sephiroth
Maybe. But then why is the German authority saying they made an error?
The German public won't be impressed.
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No governments make errors, they simply 'do not recognise' the accusations levelled at them
