The Ethics of Vaccine Safety Testing with Dr. Hilary Andrews
Recording is only available to NMI Associates.
The safety of vaccines is being questioned more in recent years by both physicians and the general public. Most drugs available on the market today go through vigorous safety and efficacy trials that can last upwards of 20 years before they are approved by the FDA for use among the general public.
Vaccines are the exception; vaccines do not require this level of rigorous testing before they are approved for use by the FDA and some vaccines are approved by the FDA with less than 4 months of safety testing. This is because vaccines are tested for safety AFTER they are approved for use by the FDA through what is referred to as “VAERS” or the vaccine adverse event reporting system. This is done to reduce the cost of vaccine development and to prevent public health disasters, but is it medically ethical?
Additionally, laws surrounding the safety of vaccines have centered on the protection of the vaccine manufacturers and not the general public, and vaccine manufacturers are given a broader allowance when it comes with regard to the definition and use of placebos in safety studies. This has enormous medical and ethical implications but surprisingly the biomedical ethics surrounding this issue have been largely ignored.
This exciting webinar discusses the ethical issues surrounding the safety testing of vaccines and the broader implications these issues have on the public health.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn the Principles of Biomedical Ethics
- Understand the process of safety testing that vaccines go through both pre and post marketing
- Understand the term Placebo testing in relation to vaccine safety testing
Notes:
- If you are an NMI Associate this session is included in your Vital Conversation.
