Cuba’s leading scientific institutions have achieved a significant breakthrough in COVID-19 vaccine development, with the Abdala immunogen demonstrating remarkable efficacy against the virus. According to official reports from Granma newspaper, the vaccine received emergency use authorization in July following rigorous clinical trials that established a 92.28% efficacy rate in disease prevention.
The vaccine’s effectiveness was confirmed during a critical period of Delta variant propagation across global populations, providing crucial data on its performance against this highly contagious strain. Dr. Marta Ayala, General Director of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), provided important scientific clarification regarding the terminology: ‘Efficacy should not be confused with effectiveness, as the former is determined within the controlled environment of clinical studies under ideal research conditions, while effectiveness is analyzed in real-world circumstances.’
Cuban researchers from both CIGB and the Finlay Vaccine Institute have recently presented their comprehensive scientific findings to the World Health Organization. The submission includes complete documentation of the research methodology, formulation processes, production standards, testing protocols, and application results. This presentation marks a significant step toward obtaining international validation and WHO emergency use listing, which would facilitate global distribution and recognition of Cuba’s sovereign vaccine development capabilities.