---
title: "With No Patients At Home, China Outsources COVID Vaccine Trials"
description: "With so few new COVID-19 cases in China, vaccine research in the country — like an upcoming phase three experiment — needs to be conducted overseas."
date: "2020-06-24"
modified: "2020-06-24"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/no-patients-home-china-outsources-covid-vaccine-trials"
categories:
  - "Health & Medicine"
  - "Medical"
  - "Pathogens"
  - "Viruses"
tags:
  - "china"
  - "coronavirus"
  - "covid19"
  - "vaccine"
---

# With No Patients At Home, China Outsources COVID Vaccine Trials

![With so few new COVID-19 cases in China, vaccine research in the country — like an upcoming phase three experiment — needs to be conducted overseas.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/no-patients-home-china-outsources-covid-vaccine-trials.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Image via Pxhere/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

Scientists at the China National Biotec Group (CNBG) had ambitious plans to run one of the world's first phase three clinical trials for a potential coronavirus vaccine — but they ran into a snag.

The problem was that a phase three trial is the one in which scientists test whether a treatment is actually effective. In this case, that meant the scientists needed to be able to watch recipients of the vaccine candidate in a real-world environment where they could potentially be exposed to the coronavirus.

But with almost no new COVID-19 cases, even though China had been the epicenter of the pandemic, they found that it was no longer a suitable testing ground. So instead of holding the trial at home, *[Reuters](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-vaccine/china-to-run-human-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-in-uae-idUSKBN23U2H8>)*[ reports](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-vaccine/china-to-run-human-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-in-uae-idUSKBN23U2H8>) that the CNBG is outsourcing its clinical research to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), [where more people](<https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/united-arab-emirates/>) are still getting sick.

The experiment itself would mark the final stage of testing before the vaccine is approved for use. A couple other experimental vaccines, like those developed by Moderna Inc, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson, have [also reached phase three](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/three-covid19-vaccines-ready-final-stage-testing>). But so far, none of the clinical trials have actually begun.

Details on the actual vaccine are still scarce. *Reuters* reports that the CNBG has developed two experimental vaccines and tested them on 2,000 people in China during previous rounds of trials. But the group didn't yet specify which vaccine candidate would be outsourced to the UAE.

But in the meantime, outsourcing clinical research on the coronavirus seems to be a growing trend in China, because *Reuters* reports that two other groups there are doing the same: Clover Biopharmaceuticals ran an early trial in Australia, while Sinovac Biotech is also pursuing a phase three experiment in Brazil.

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)