Amid covid surge, Iran cut corners to approve yet-unproven vaccine (Washington Post)

August 26, 2022
Amid covid surge, Iran cut corners to approve yet-unproven vaccine

As Iranian regulators considered endorsing a locally developed coronavirus vaccine a year ago, a top health official issued a stern warning, saying the test results were insufficient and the vaccine’s approval could undermine efforts to contain the country’s raging epidemic.

Deputy Health Minister Farid Najafi wrote to his boss that allowing use of the vaccine by the general public before it met scientific standards “is a serious and historic decision that will determine the future of public confidence in the health system.”

But the vaccine had influential backers. It was the highly touted project of a company called Barkat, part of a sprawling corporate empire close to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

...

In March of the following year, Mokhber said the company was now prepared to mass-produce the vaccine. “We promise to the beloved Iranian nation that in 2½ months, we won’t have to worry about vaccine shortage in this country,” he said.

Iranian officials portrayed this endeavor as a point of national pride that would catapult Iran into an elite group of scientifically advanced countries. After the government’s troubled response in the early days of the pandemic, much of the Iranian media devoted wide and favorable coverage to Barkat’s project.

“There’s a desire to record a win for the supreme leader,” said Amir Afkhami, a professor and expert on Iranian public health at George Washington University. “On top of that, there’s a financial gain and the financial power and the revenue stream that Setad provides for Khamenei.”

Read the full article on WashingtonPost.com

Latest News

September 26, 2023
The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA) is pleased to announce that Robin Nichols, MHA, CPA, will join the organization as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
September 21, 2023
With the arrival of cooler mornings and pumpkin spiced lattes comes the annual sniffles, chills, and sneezes of flu season and a timely reminder that vaccines can protect you and your loved ones from the worst of what illnesses have to offer. Here, Janet C. Austen, CRNP-FNP, primary care family…
July 11, 2023
The George Washington University (GW) Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA), is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher T. Smedley, MPM, as the Chief Clinical Affairs and Strategy Officer. Smedley served as a consultant in this role, and officially transitioned into the position on May 1,…