North Texas Doctors 'Super Excited' About Pfizer's Preliminary Data On COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Pfizer released some preliminary data on Monday, Nov. 9, suggesting its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective.
While the trial is still ongoing, some North Texas doctors told CBS 11 this is great news.
"It's a press release, not a peer reviewed article that's gotten out there after much vetting from experts, but that being said it's super exciting," said Dr. Joseph Chang, the Chief Medical Director at Parkland Health and Hospital System.
Pfizer's vaccine is one of 10 that are in late-stage testing.
The initial data looked at the first 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the more than 43,000 participants. Of those cases, only 10% of the infections were in people given the actual vaccine and 90% were in the placebo group.
"So when you look at, you know, an early effectiveness data showing a very potent vaccine, that's really, that's a great news," said Dr. Mezgebe Berhe, the Principal Investigator Pfizer's vaccine trial at Baylor Scott and White.
He said he's known several people locally to take part in the trial.
"Our vaccines for the flu have been 50 to 60% effective think about it," said Dr. Berhe. "This is a very potent and very effective vaccine, and that makes it really unique."
There will be skeptics, but Dr. Chang hopes the attention at least makes some people reconsider their views on vaccines.
"Nothing has been invented in the history of mankind that has saved more lives than vaccines," said Dr. Chang. "I don't say that lightly. I didn't make that up, It didn't just come out of my head. That has been shown over and over and over again,"
Pfizer plans to ask the FDA for emergency use authorization once it hits certain safety milestones.
That's expected to happen around the third week of November.
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