Transparency of COVID-19 vaccine trials: decisions without data

Abstract

Data transparency has become a well-established norm in biomedical research, and is especially important for broadly used public health interventions like COVID-19 vaccines. Tax payers helped fund COVID-19 vaccine trials and should have the right to access the results. There is inadequate availability of COVID-19 vaccine trial documents and data; individual participant data will not be available for months, perhaps years, for most vaccines. Widespread use of interventions without full data transparency raises concerns over the rational use of COVID-19 vaccines. Trial transparency must start early and be continuous. Trial protocols should be released once finalised, before trial results are reported, and should be accompanied with the release of trial documents and data before clinicians and the public make decisions regarding product use.