Vaccines can only be approved based on sufficient scientific data: official
The emergency use authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine is necessary but it must be based on sufficient scientific data, a health official said on June 22.
A medical worker gives a shot of Nano Covax to a volunteer in the third-phase trials at the Hanoi-based Vietnam Military Medical University (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Theemergency use authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine is necessary but it must bebased on sufficient scientific data, a health official said on June 22.
Nguyen Ngo Quang, DeputyDirector of the Health Ministry’s Department for Science, Technology andTraining, made the remark in response to the NanogenPharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC’s proposal for validating its NanoCovax, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for emergency use.
Quang noted that beforeapproving a vaccine for mass use, it is a principle that the Ministry of Health(MoH) must ensure the safety, the generation of immunity, and the protectiveeffect of that vaccine.
The emergency useauthorisation for a vaccine depends on many factors, and the MoH needsscientific data to make a decision, Quang emphasised.
He stressed the MoH’sabsolute support for the development of domestic vaccines, adding that thehealth sector’s ultimate goal is to protect people’s health, so benefits andrisks must be thoroughly considered.
Nano Covax is currently inthe third phase of trials, with 1,000 volunteers already getting the shots.
Results recorded so farshowed that this vaccine candidate is safe and has generated the immuneresponse in volunteers, but its protective effect is still under research.
To have sufficient scientificbasis to assess the immunity generation and protective effect, volunteers needto be monitored for 36 days, 45 days, and 56 days since the first jabs,according to the official./.
Two COVID-19 vaccines Nano Covax and Covivac, which were studied and developed in Vietnam, have proved to be safe and effective in the first and second clinical trials.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently announced that Vietnam’s National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for vaccines reached Maturity Level 3, the second highest in the WHO classification of national regulatory system.
The clinical trials of Vietnamese COVID-19 vaccine candidate Nano Covax are set to enter Phase 3 this month with the optimal dosage of 25mcg, aiming to further test the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in humans before mass production begins.
The Standing Board of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has agreed to create the best possible conditions for the trial of homegrown vaccines.
The administration of the first 1,000 shots in the third-phase trials of Nano Covax, a home-grown COVID-19 vaccine candidate, has completed, the Hanoi-based Vietnam Military Medical University said.
All drugs entering hospitals must have a clear origin, so counterfeit drugs are only in the market, not in hospital, affirmed Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.
Health experts called for collective disease prevention and integrated solutions to achieve zero dengue deaths in the country at an online talk show on June 14.
The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T
Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.
All eligible patients will receive surgical interventions and post-operative care in accordance with Vietnamese medical standards and global care protocols.
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The Red Journey has become the country’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign, leaving a strong impression on the national voluntary blood donation movement.
This case marks the ninth fetal cardiac intervention conducted in HCM City, and it was considered the most technically demanding to date due to the fetus’s extremely early gestational age and the severity of the condition as diagnosed with aortic atresia.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 25,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally over the past month. Notably, from January 1 to May 10, Thailand reported nearly 54,000 infections and 16 deaths. The rise in cases in Thailand has been linked to the spread of XBB.1.16 subvariant.
Recently, HCM City has experienced a noticeable increase in COVID-19 cases, with 26 reported in just one week, compared to an average of only 1-2 cases weekly earlier this year.
A medical worker gives a shot of Nano Covax to a volunteer in the third-phase trials at the Hanoi-based Vietnam Military Medical University (Photo: VNA) 
