Press Conference by the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

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REPORTER: I have a question about the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). There has been a case of suspected side effects in the clinical trials for the vaccine being developing by AstraZeneca, and now, even the clinical trials in Japan have been suspended. The Government is aiming to secure the amount necessary to cover the entire population of Japan before the end of the first half of next year. How do you think the suspension of the clinical trials will impact those plans?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NISHIMURA: I understand that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has sought confirmation with AstraZeneca, and the company has explained that it is investigating the details of the incident, including whether it was a consequence of the vaccination, and that, in the meantime, it will temporarily suspend the further administration of vaccines, including in Japan, which is standard practice in clinical trials. Furthermore, I believe a spokesperson for AstraZeneca has stated that the company has paused clinical trials to review their safety, but is working to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline. In any event, the Government will aim to secure the amount necessary to cover the entire population of Japan before the end of the first half of next year. To this end, when an application for the approval of a vaccine is submitted in Japan, the Government will appropriately assess it from the perspective of ensuring efficacy and safety, based on clinical trial data and the latest scientific knowledge.
 
REPORTER: […] I would like to confirm the current view of the Government. Is it your recognition that the situation does not require further action, such as delaying the target date for securing the necessary amount of vaccines, or adjusting the arrangements to increase the amount of vaccines supplied by other pharmaceutical companies?
 
DEPUTY CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY NISHIMURA: As I have just explained, the Government will assess the application for approval accordingly.
 
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