The necessity of building domestic COVID-19 vaccine production capacity is clear, but my view is that we must exercise extreme caution regarding Vietnam’s current efforts. The imperative right now is safety and speed, and reckless promotion of an unverified local vaccine poses significant long-term risks.
I. The scientific and ethical imperative
The biggest issue with fast-tracking any current domestic vaccine candidate is the lack of robust, transparent data and rigorous testing:
- Unknown long-term side effects: The full side-effect profile remains unknown without extensive, large-scale testing (tens of thousands of people) in an environment with high infection rates. Furthermore, severe side effects may only manifest years after vaccination. Any statement claiming “good antibody production equals a good vaccine” is unethical and scientifically dishonest.
- Lack of peer review: Summary reports on vaccine efficacy and impact have not been published in reputable, peer-reviewed international scientific journals. Unverified data sets a dangerous precedent for scientific applications in Vietnam by normalizing a lack of seriousness and transparency in research.
- Global standard: Leading global manufacturers (AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, J&J) all publish and share their trial results. We cannot trust results that are not subject to public scrutiny and replication.
A harmful or ineffective vaccine will trigger a dangerous anti-vaccine wave among the population—a catastrophe with long-term consequences, as demonstrated by the painful lessons learned in countries like the Philippines and Japan.
II. The strategic mandate: Procurement over production
While self-sufficiency is a national goal, in this emergency, the most secure and fastest solution is to procure strictly verified, globally approved vaccines.
- Speed and safety: At this late stage, procurement is faster than production, and the supply chain bottleneck means current local production capacity is insufficient anyway. Buying internationally verified vaccines is the safest and most immediate solution.
- Viable alternatives: If the government insists on domestic capability, the safest route is to negotiate with manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Sputnik to purchase the production technology and assembly lines outright for deployment in Vietnam. There is no need to risk developing an entirely new domestic vaccine prematurely.
III. Financial and ethical due diligence
Before investing public resources in any domestic production enterprise, the Government must conduct an independent and rigorous investigation of the companies involved, checking their financial capacity, technological capabilities, and business ethics.
This review should address three critical areas:
- Financial and business integrity: Contract one of the Big Four auditing firms to conduct an independent financial assessment and review the business reputation of the company.
- Technological competence: Establish an independent technical review team comprising pharmaceutical technology experts to verify the company’s scientific capabilities.
- Leadership ethics: Consult security agencies or hire an independent private investigator to check the business ethics and reputation of the company’s leaders, cross-referencing with their business partners.
We must remember the English proverb: “Too good to be true.” Leaders should investigate the case of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos—a company that was hailed as a medical darling, valued at billions, and then collapsed due to fraud.
IV. The political and legal risk
A hurried emergency approval of a domestic vaccine poses severe political suicide risks for the highest-ranking leader:
- Efficacy and side effects: The leader bears the direct political consequence if the vaccine proves ineffective or causes severe, unforeseen side effects.
- Cronyism risk: The leader risks enabling a monopoly that could lead to “group interests” benefiting massively, even if the leader themselves is unaware of the corruption.
By ensuring financial transparency and prioritizing rigorous procurement, we choose safety over speculative speed. The national good depends on extreme caution right now.
