Australia terminates University of Queensland vaccine deal with CSL after false HIV Positives.

Australia terminates  covid19 vaccine deal with Queensland University after trial participants test false HIV positive. 

A billion-dollar deal for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government to buy more than 50 million doses of the University of Queensland’s potential coronavirus vaccine has been abruptly terminated after several trial participants returned false positive HIV test results.

However, the University of Queensland and CSL insist: “There is no possibility the vaccine causes infection, and routine follow up tests confirmed there is no HIV virus present.” 

University of Queensland Prof Trent Munro: Disappointing day for the team. Clinical data for COVID vaccine was promising.

Everything was looking positive, 85% of participants who had the two doses generated immune response above the mean of that of a recovered population.

‘All of these things make today’s decision very difficult, but we understand the complexity that underlying diagnostic interference may impact’

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has increased its order for the Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine, after trials of the University of Queensland/CSL vaccine were cancelled

Senior Minister Peter Dutton insists termination of UQ/CSL vaccine deal won’t impact timeline of roll-out. Australians should still be able to access a vaccine from Feb-March.