WASHINGTON (AP) – AstraZeneca says that its COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective even after counting additional illnesses in its disputed U.S. study.
The announcement late Wednesday was the latest in a public rift with American officials.
The drugmaker said it had recalculated data from that study and concluded the vaccine is 76% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, instead of the 79% it had reported earlier in the week.
Just a day earlier, an independent panel that oversees the study had accused AstraZeneca of cherry-picking data to tout the protection offered by its vaccine. The panel said the company had left out some COVID-19 cases that occurred in the study, a move that could erode trust in the science.
By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press
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