[ti:Drug-Makers to Follow Scientific Standards for COVID-19 Vaccine] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]Nine leading American and European drug-makers [00:05.40]promised to follow scientific standards in the race [00:09.88]to develop an effective coronavirus vaccine. [00:14.16]The companies, including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, [00:21.44]made the promise after concerns were raised [00:25.68]that safety standards might decline in the attempt to find a vaccine. [00:31.76]The companies said in a statement [00:34.32]they would "uphold the integrity of the scientific process." [00:39.56]Other companies that signed the agreement included Johnson & Johnson, [00:45.52]Merck & Co, Moderna, Novavax , Sanofi and BioNTech. [00:52.88]Ugur Sahin is head of BioNTech in Germany. [00:58.24]He said "We want it to be known that also in the current situation [01:04.20]we are not willing to compromise safety and efficacy." [01:09.24]The promise to play by established rules [01:12.96]comes at a time of highly politicized debate. [01:17.64]The debate is over what actions are needed [01:21.28]to quickly control COVID-19 and increase international business and trade. [01:27.88]Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia [01:33.64]had become the first country to approve a vaccine for COVID-19. [01:39.60]But some scientists question whether its quick approval will lead to a safe vaccine. [01:47.68]The head of China's Sinovac Biotech [01:51.08]has also said most of its employees and their families [01:55.84]have already taken an experimental vaccine. [01:59.84]The vaccine, developed by the Chinese company, [02:04.20]is part of the country's emergency-use program. [02:08.24]Chinese companies and organizations which are involved [02:12.88]in developing COVID-19 vaccines did not sign the agreement. [02:18.64]Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [02:24.60]said COVID-19 vaccines could be approved [02:28.68]by the Food and Drug Administration [02:31.56]just days before the November 3 presidential election. [02:36.64]The announcement followed comments from President Donald Trump [02:41.28]suggesting that the U.S. may have a vaccine before the election. [02:47.24]Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee, [02:53.40]said she would not take Trump's word alone [02:56.96]on any possible coronavirus vaccine. [03:00.40]The drug-makers say approval for a COVID-19 vaccine [03:05.68]must be based on trials of large groups of people [03:09.92]from different ages, races and ethnic groups. [03:14.56]The trials must compare similar groups [03:18.16]that do not receive the vaccine in question. [03:21.92]People taking part in the trial must not know which group they belong to. [03:28.00]BioNTech's Sahin said there must be statistical certainty of 95 percent [03:35.32]- and in some cases higher - from the trials to show a positive result. [03:40.84]Michael Scholl is the chief executive of German vaccine developer Leukocare, [03:47.48]which did not sign the promise. [03:50.24]He said, "My biggest fear is that we will approve vaccines that are not safe." [03:58.16]He noted that an unsafe vaccine will hurt the idea of vaccinations in general. [04:05.76]I'm John Russell. [04:07.48]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM