The US Is Fast-Tracking a Coronavirus Vaccine, But Bypassing Safety Standards May Not Be Worth the Cost

March 25, 2020

(The Conversation) – Last week American biotech company Moderna commenced the first clinical trial of a vaccine for COVID-19. Similar studies are reportedly being planned in the US, China, Israel, Australia and elsewhere, with at least 20 potential vaccines under development.  The usual time scale for the development of a new vaccine is five to ten years. But the scale of the emergency we are facing creates overwhelming pressure to speed up this process.