Potential implications of testing an experimental mRNA-based vaccine during an emerging infectious disease pandemic

by Ariadne A. Nichol, B.S. Development of experimental vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic has been rapidly progressing. In the United States, several Phase I clinical trial participants already received an injection of mRNA-1273, the experimental vaccine developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a biotechnology firm called Moderna. The chief medical officer at Moderna, Dr. Tal Zaks, lauded the speed with which his company has provided a potential COVID-19 vaccine: “I think we’ve set a new record here.” However, the usual Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard for proving safety and efficacy in animal models before moving onto testing in humans, has not been followed.…
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Clinical Trials & Studies Featured Posts Public Health Research Ethics #covid19 #diaryofaplagueyear COVID-19 Source Type: blogs