Australia's Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine choice questioned as experts highlight 'shaky' science

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-28/has-australia-picked-the-covid19-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-dud/12928128

On Monday night Australian time, the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine candidate, one of the COVID-19 vaccines the Australian Government committed to in a multi-billion-dollar deal, released its first interim results from its phase 3 trials.

At first glance, the results were lauded, with the company claiming one dosing option provided 90 percent protection against COVID-19.

The Australian Government declared it a"very good result" that will help create a "fully safe Australia". But Dr. Porges wasn't convinced.

"We called it first," he told the ABC.

"We said, 'we think the company [AstraZeneca] has embellished the data'.

"And we said we didn't think it will get approved in the US.

"People were incensed with our first statements, but I think as more information has come out, more people are in agreement with us."

As this week rolled on, Dr. Porges' comments have been vindicated.

Pressure has been mounting on the company all week, with a stream of scientists and researchers across the world joining Dr. Porges' initial assessment.

Some labeled it "shaky science", while others questioned the legitimacy of the data released by the company.

Now, critically, the regulators are becoming involved.

And the issue, it seems, all comes down to a curious mistake.