The Covid-19 vaccine made by China’s Sinopharm was less effective than others at preventing infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among people over 50, according to a study by the kingdom of Bahrain and Columbia University researchers.
But the percentage of deaths among all PCR positive post-vaccination Covid-19 cases was 0.46% for Sinopharm recipients compared to 0.15% for Pfizer-BioNTech and 0.03% for AstraZeneca, the study showed. That trend was consistent for infection and hospitalization, even with the advent of the Delta variant. Sputnik V results were intermediate.
The Sinopharm vaccine contains SARS-CoV-2 that has undergone treatment with a chemical called beta-propiolactone. This chemical binds to the virus’s genetic material and stops it from replicating and causing COVID-19. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant in the form of aluminum hydroxide. Adjuvants help strengthen the body’s immune response to vaccines.
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Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine: Should you worry about the side effects?
Written by Harriet Pike, Ph.D. on May 18, 2021 — Fact checked by Yella Hewings-Martin, Ph.D.
The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, BBIBP-CorV, which the Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products (BBIBP) developed, is the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine that the World Health Organization (WHO) has authorized for emergency use. This Snapshot feature discusses some of the common side effects that have occurred in clinical trials and the controversies surrounding the safety of the vaccine.
Safety data suggest that the most common side effects of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine are headaches, fatigue, and injection-site reactions. Image credit: Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
All data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication. Some information may be out of date. Visit our coronavirus hub and follow our live updates page for the most recent information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BBIBP in China has developed the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV. Of the COVID-19 vaccines that Chinese companies have produced, BBIBP-CorV is the first one that the WHO has authorizedTrusted Source for use against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The WHO issued its emergency use listing for the Sinopharm vaccine on May 7, 2021, some 4 months after China’s National Medical Products Administration authorized it on December 31, 2020. A further 42 countries, including Hungary, Venezuela, and Sri Lanka, have approved the vaccine. However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not yet reviewed it for use in the European Union.
Sinopharm and the BBIBP opted to use a well-established technology to develop their COVID-19 vaccine. The two-dose vaccine incorporates inactivated virus to stimulate an immune response.
The Sinopharm vaccine contains SARS-CoV-2 that has undergone treatment with a chemical called beta-propiolactone. This chemical binds to the virus’s genetic material and stops it from replicating and causing COVID-19. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant in the form of aluminum hydroxide. Adjuvants help strengthen the body’s immune response to vaccines.
When an individual receives the vaccine, their body’s immune system identifies the inactivated virus as foreign and makes antibodies against it. If the vaccinated person subsequently comes into contact with SARS-CoV-2, their immune system launches an immune response against it.
The WHO recommends the Sinopharm vaccine for people aged 18 years and older, with a gap of 3–4 weeks between the two doses. The global health agency estimates overall vaccine efficacy to be about 78%, although it notes that trial data are lacking for adults over the age of 60 years.
The most commonly reported side effects in this trial were fever and pain at the injection site.
The WHO reviewed safety data from three clinical trials, which included data for 16,671 participants who received the Sinopharm vaccine. Most of these data relate to men aged 18–59 years.
Based on these data, the most common side effects were:
headaches
fatigue
injection site reactions
These side effects are similar to those of other authorized vaccines against COVID-19, and most were mild to moderate.
The WHO identified two serious adverse events that were possibly linked to the vaccine — serious nausea and a rare neurological disorder known as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. There was also one diagnosis of thrombus (blood clot) in the vaccine group.
But the percentage of deaths among all PCR positive post-vaccination Covid-19 cases was 0.46% for Sinopharm recipients compared to 0.15% for Pfizer-BioNTech and 0.03% for AstraZeneca, the study showed. That trend was consistent for infection and hospitalization, even with the advent of the Delta variant. Sputnik V results were intermediate.
The Sinopharm vaccine contains SARS-CoV-2 that has undergone treatment with a chemical called beta-propiolactone. This chemical binds to the virus’s genetic material and stops it from replicating and causing COVID-19. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant in the form of aluminum hydroxide. Adjuvants help strengthen the body’s immune response to vaccines.
MedicalNewsToday uses cookies to improve your experience and to show you personalized ads. Privacy Policy.
More information
Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine: Should you worry about the side effects?
Written by Harriet Pike, Ph.D. on May 18, 2021 — Fact checked by Yella Hewings-Martin, Ph.D.
The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, BBIBP-CorV, which the Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products (BBIBP) developed, is the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine that the World Health Organization (WHO) has authorized for emergency use. This Snapshot feature discusses some of the common side effects that have occurred in clinical trials and the controversies surrounding the safety of the vaccine.
Safety data suggest that the most common side effects of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine are headaches, fatigue, and injection-site reactions. Image credit: Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
All data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication. Some information may be out of date. Visit our coronavirus hub and follow our live updates page for the most recent information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BBIBP in China has developed the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV. Of the COVID-19 vaccines that Chinese companies have produced, BBIBP-CorV is the first one that the WHO has authorizedTrusted Source for use against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The WHO issued its emergency use listing for the Sinopharm vaccine on May 7, 2021, some 4 months after China’s National Medical Products Administration authorized it on December 31, 2020. A further 42 countries, including Hungary, Venezuela, and Sri Lanka, have approved the vaccine. However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not yet reviewed it for use in the European Union.
Sinopharm and the BBIBP opted to use a well-established technology to develop their COVID-19 vaccine. The two-dose vaccine incorporates inactivated virus to stimulate an immune response.
The Sinopharm vaccine contains SARS-CoV-2 that has undergone treatment with a chemical called beta-propiolactone. This chemical binds to the virus’s genetic material and stops it from replicating and causing COVID-19. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant in the form of aluminum hydroxide. Adjuvants help strengthen the body’s immune response to vaccines.
When an individual receives the vaccine, their body’s immune system identifies the inactivated virus as foreign and makes antibodies against it. If the vaccinated person subsequently comes into contact with SARS-CoV-2, their immune system launches an immune response against it.
The WHO recommends the Sinopharm vaccine for people aged 18 years and older, with a gap of 3–4 weeks between the two doses. The global health agency estimates overall vaccine efficacy to be about 78%, although it notes that trial data are lacking for adults over the age of 60 years.
The most commonly reported side effects in this trial were fever and pain at the injection site.
The WHO reviewed safety data from three clinical trials, which included data for 16,671 participants who received the Sinopharm vaccine. Most of these data relate to men aged 18–59 years.
Based on these data, the most common side effects were:
headaches
fatigue
injection site reactions
These side effects are similar to those of other authorized vaccines against COVID-19, and most were mild to moderate.
The WHO identified two serious adverse events that were possibly linked to the vaccine — serious nausea and a rare neurological disorder known as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. There was also one diagnosis of thrombus (blood clot) in the vaccine group.
