Vaccine trial pauses after volunteer suffers unexplained illness involving spinal cord

National Institute of Health Director: 'despite the urgent need for a vaccine, here will be no compromise on safety'

(CNN) — Drug giant Astrazeneca has paused a trial of its coronavirus vaccine after one volunteer suffered an unexplained illness involving the spinal cord.

Speaking to the Senate Health Committee Wednesday, The National Institutes of Health Director Doctor Francis Collins says despite the urgent need for a vaccine, there will be no compromise on safety. Astrazeneca says independent experts will now conduct a data review before trials can resume.

Nine bio-pharmaceutical companies released a joint pledge to uphold “high ethical standards,” saying they’ll “only submit for approval or emergency use authorization after demonstrating safety and efficiency through a phase 3 clinical study , designed and conducted to meet requirements of expert regulatory authorities.”