Questions About a Covid-19 Vaccine Linger After the FDA’s Advisory Committee Meeting
The committee was generally satisfied with the FDA’s requirements, but concerns about diversity and follow-up remain
A much-anticipated meeting of a vaccine advisory committee took place on Thursday. The independent panel, made up almost entirely of infectious disease experts, was gathered to weigh in on the Food and Drug Administration’s requirements to grant either emergency authorization or full approval to a Covid-19 vaccine.
The committee did not review data about any vaccines currently in development. Rather, they discussed and made recommendations about the safety and efficacy guidelines the FDA had put in place. While the attention this meeting received was likely magnified due to the pandemic, assembling such a panel is standard procedure for any new drug or vaccine the FDA is considering.
Read a list of major takeaways from the meeting here.
The committee acknowledged the need to balance rigorous safety and efficacy requirements with expeditiously delivering a drug to the public that could help end the pandemic. And while they were satisfied with most of the FDA’s guidelines, they did have some lingering concerns.
