In an attempt to stay ahead of the coronavirus pandemic, US regulators are taking a page from decades of research on influenza vaccines.
Dr. Janet Woodcock, …
In an attempt to stay ahead of the coronavirus pandemic, US regulators are taking a page from decades of research on influenza vaccines. Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting head of the US Food and Drug Administration, said Thursday evening that the agency will build off its framework for dealing with the flu in figuring out how to keep pace with a changing coronavirus. She spoke on a call with reporters, and said that more complete guidance for drugmakers would come soon. The goal is to allow drug companies to quickly adjust their vaccines and treatments to fight new forms of the coronavirus, while ensuring that those new products are safe and effective. For drug companies that have already developed an authorized vaccine, for example, the FDA is aiming to allow them to adjust their vaccines without repeating massive clinical trials involving tens of thousands of volunteers.