The trials for AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the U.K. after they were halted over safety concerns, the company announced on Saturday. Earlier this week, the trials were stopped after a volunteer developed an unexplained illness.
The company will continue the phase three trials.
After receiving a green signal from the United Kingdom’s Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to resume clinical trials, AstraZeneca confirmed. The company has declined to disclose medical information about the ‘pause’ of the trial.
“This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials. In large trials illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully,” the company said.
So far, 18,000 people have received the vaccination in studies, University of Oxford, which developed the vaccine in partnership with AstraZeneca, said on Saturday.
“In large trials such as this, it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety,” Oxford said in a statement.
