Re: WHO’s malaria vaccine study represents a “serious breach of international ethical standards”
Dear Editor
I was interested to read Peter Doshi's article [1]. I also note with concern the comments of Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), at the European Commission Global Vaccine Summit, last September which I have transcribed as best I could [2]:
"Simple example. So, if we have big headlines that we are going to be having an experimental vaccine in this community which is a thousand miles away - so here we understand what we mean but the community level there would be all sorts of multiple misinterpretation ("Here we are the guinea pigs, here we are being the experiments for the world, is it the vaccine which is not for us, it is to protect others") so we have to change that it is protecting public health, it is not protecting people people outside the community, but it is something which is first good for the community, there for its own sake and to protect its own needs..."
The question is whether they are to be told it is an experimental vaccine or not: we surely have to be clear both at the global level and the community level, so no one is misinformed.
[1] Peter Doshi, 'WHO’s malaria vaccine study represents a “serious breach of international ethical standards”
BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m734 (Published 26 February 2020)
Competing interests:
AgeofAutism.com, an on-line daily journal, concerns itself with the potential environmental sources for the proliferation of autism, neurological impairment, immune dysfunction and chronic disease. I receive no payment as UK Editor
Rapid Response:
Re: WHO’s malaria vaccine study represents a “serious breach of international ethical standards”
Dear Editor
I was interested to read Peter Doshi's article [1]. I also note with concern the comments of Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), at the European Commission Global Vaccine Summit, last September which I have transcribed as best I could [2]:
"Simple example. So, if we have big headlines that we are going to be having an experimental vaccine in this community which is a thousand miles away - so here we understand what we mean but the community level there would be all sorts of multiple misinterpretation ("Here we are the guinea pigs, here we are being the experiments for the world, is it the vaccine which is not for us, it is to protect others") so we have to change that it is protecting public health, it is not protecting people people outside the community, but it is something which is first good for the community, there for its own sake and to protect its own needs..."
The question is whether they are to be told it is an experimental vaccine or not: we surely have to be clear both at the global level and the community level, so no one is misinformed.
[1] Peter Doshi, 'WHO’s malaria vaccine study represents a “serious breach of international ethical standards”
BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m734 (Published 26 February 2020)
[2] STREAMING SERVICE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: GLOBAL VACCINE SUMMIT, 12 September 2019, On-Demand 14.22.55-14.23.33, https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/global-vaccination-summit-12-09-19#
Competing interests: AgeofAutism.com, an on-line daily journal, concerns itself with the potential environmental sources for the proliferation of autism, neurological impairment, immune dysfunction and chronic disease. I receive no payment as UK Editor