US officials question AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial results

The data was meant to pave the way for the shot’s approval in the US, but officials say it may include ‘outdated’ information.

Results from a new US trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine may have used “outdated information”, US federal health officials have said, in a jolt to the company that has faced scrutiny over safety concerns. In a statement on Tuesday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said it had been informed by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of concerns that AstraZeneca “may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data”. “We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible,” the NIAID said.