At the hearing, Senators grilled federal health officials, questioning them about the logistics, cost, as well as safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted that there is no guarantee that the country will have a safe and effective vaccine. He added that the same statement will also be given by anyone, who is involved in developing vaccines.
However, Fauci said they are very optimistic to see the extent of efficacy of the vaccine in the early part of next year. He noted that they will be seeing early preliminary data as well as animal model to determine vaccines' efficacy.
Half of Americans Reluctant to be Vaccinated
During the hearing, Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri raised concerns over the reluctant of the Americans to be vaccinated. He noted that roughly half of Americans were reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, while 20 percent would not try to get vaccinated at all, even if the vaccine is widely available.
In a published article in USA Today, Blunt assured that the research on potential COVID-19 vaccine would not be too fast or cut corners. He asserted that he intends to get vaccinated once the vaccine is available.
Meanwhile, Democrat Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania raised two questions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). First, is how the FDA can earn the trust of reluctant Americans that the vaccines are safe and effective. Lastly, Casey questioned the steps on how the FDA commissioner would bolster the confidence of people.
In reply, Stephen Hahn, FDA Commissioner, said the FDA follows strict regulations for vaccines either for authorization or approval. He noted that this is to make sure that the vaccine is safe and effective.
Hahn also added that the agency is independent and will not pre-judge the vaccine. He emphasized that they will use science and data. The FDA Commissioner further noted that he will continue to be a voice emphasizing regulatory independence.
A Vaccine is Not About Doing it Fast, But Doing it Right
Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington said just like other individuals, she is also eager to have the vaccine. However, she said that developing and producing vaccines are "not just about doing it fast but doing it right."
Murray asserted that this is why they need to know its process. She firmly believed that developing a vaccine is rigorous, inclusive, transparent, and science-driven. The senator also demanded a very serious oversight.
Operation Warp Speed
The federal government has allocated an amount of more than $9 billion for Operation Warp Speed. This program aims to deliver 300 million safe and effective vaccines by January 2021.
However, it was found that they will manufacture candidate vaccines even before it's clear whether they will work or not. This is to ensure that the country gets first the vaccine if one or more will be proven to be safe and effective.
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