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"U.K. company claims effective human vaccine for avian flu"


Vancouver Sun

Source: Vancouver Sun

Published: 27 Jul 2022

Category: Pharmaceutical

Rating: (2½ stars)

what they said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

LONDON -- A British company reported Wednesday that it has achieved the best results ever seen on an experimental human vaccine for avian flu and said mass production might be possible starting next year.
A global health official called GlaxoSmithKline's early results "an exciting piece of science." If future tests are as promising, it would be a major step in the frustrating campaign to protect people from a possible deadly flu pandemic.
The U.S. government's chief infectious disease scientist was also optimistic....

how did it rate? (more information)

Criteria Rating
Total Score 4 of 9
Availability of Treatment Satisfactory (?)
Novelty of Treatment Satisfactory (?)
Disease Mongering Satisfactory (?)
Treatment Options Satisfactory (?)
Costs of Treatment Not Applicable
Evidence Not Satisfactory (?)
Quantification of Benefits of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Harms of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Sources of Information Not Satisfactory (?)
Relies on Press Release Not Applicable
Quantification of Harms of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)

what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

This article is based on preliminary data so it is too early to state the benefits and harm of this vaccine. Even when early experimental trials are reported it is useful to explain any adverse effects seen in the trial, how long the results are likely to last, and to include some commentary by outside spokespeople or researchers who are unconnected to the study. In terms of evidence the article doesn't state whether people are actually protected from the flu, only that the vaccine has allowed a certain proportion of them to develop an immune response. It would be useful to know if this translates into real protection or not.

Our sister site in the US reviewed a very similar article from the Wall Street Journal and comes to a very similar review as our own. You can see their review here: http://www.healthnewsreview.org/review/review.php?rid=471

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