COVID -19 FALLOUT: NIGERIAN SCIENTISTS URGE INDEPENDENT PROBE OF VACCINE SAFETY SIGNALS
ADO-EKITI —
Recent investigations by United States congressional committees into the origins of SARS-CoV-2 and the handling of COVID-19 vaccine safety data have renewed calls for stronger, independent pharmacovigilance systems in Nigeria.
The call was contained in a communiqué attributed to Nigerian researchers and issued in Ado-Ekiti, which said findings from congressional investigations had raised questions about the transparency of investigations into the origin of the virus, the monitoring of vaccine safety signals and the handling of adverse-event data by some U.S. health authorities.
The communiqué, signed by Prof Omotuyi Olaposi of the Institute of Drug Research and Development, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, highlighted findings by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic examined issues including the possible funding of coronavirus research in Wuhan, the use of vaccine-safety surveillance systems and access to data on adverse events.
It specifically cited allegations that U.S. officials had been aware of limitations in aspects of the VAERS safety-signal analysis and called for greater transparency in pharmacovigilance.
The researchers further argued that adverse events reported after COVID-19 vaccination, including myocarditis and other neurological, cardiovascular and thrombotic conditions, warranted continued scientific monitoring.
They stressed that reports in adverse-event databases should be subjected to rigorous epidemiological investigation to determine causation, rather than being interpreted on their own as proof that a vaccine caused a particular medical event.
The communiqué also drew attention to the ABUAD Virucidine Liquid, developed by researchers at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, and evaluated in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
Earlier reporting on the proof-of-concept study stated that 44 participants were enrolled, with 43 completing the study, while participants receiving Virucidine recorded a higher proportion of symptom-free cases by Day 7 than those receiving standard care—88.5 per cent compared with 52.9 per cent.
The researchers also reported no serious adverse events, clinical deterioration or deaths during the 28-day follow-up.
NIMR subsequently described the findings as promising while recommending that the product undergo a larger Phase 3 clinical trial to further establish its efficacy and safety.
Contemporary reports also noted that the product had received NAFDAC listing, although regulatory listing or registration should not be interpreted as equivalent to definitive proof of efficacy for every proposed medical use.
The researchers are therefore calling on the Nigerian government and research community to strengthen independent pharmacovigilance, expand research into indigenous pharmaceutical products and protect intellectual property arising from Nigerian scientific innovation. They also urged further investigation into possible therapeutic applications of Virucidine, including for long COVID and post-vaccination conditions, subject to appropriate clinical evidence.
The communiqué said Nigeria should draw lessons from the COVID-19 experience by promoting transparent safety reporting, independent scientific review and locally driven pharmaceutical research. It stressed that future public-health responses should be guided by evidence, rigorous clinical trials and full disclosure of safety information, while encouraging collaboration between Nigerian researchers, regulators and international scientific institutions.
