Iran to recruit 50,000 volunteers for human trials of COVID-19 vaccine

An Iranian official announced on Thursday that 50,000 volunteers in the country will be recruited for the clinical testing of a joint Iranian-Cuban COVID-19 vaccine, reported Xinhua, quoting, semi-official Mehr News Agency.

"As promised by the head of the Pasteur Institute, we will see the third phase of clinical studies of this co-produced vaccine implemented in our country," said Kianush Jahanpur, spokesman for Iran's Food and Drug Administration.

The testing will be carried out between the fourth week of January and the fourth week of March, Jahanpur added.

If the testing yields positive results, mass production of the vaccine will be put on the agenda, he noted.

The spokesman, however, said Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education has plans to obtain most of its COVID-19 vaccines supply from the World Health Organization's COVAX facility.

Pasteur Institute of Iran, which was established in 1920 on an agreement between the Institute Pasteur of Paris and the Iranian government, has a history of cooperation with Cuba in the vaccine production field, according to Jahanpur.