Posts Tagged: "coronavirus vaccine"

Almost a third of the recently signed $8.3 billion bill to fund the United States response to the coronavirus outbreak is devoted directly to vaccine research and development. And while the realities of drug development and FDA approval mean it is unlikely any vaccine will be available before next year, the government has numerous tools at its disposal in seeking to reduce the strain on the nation’s health care system. As many as nine different pharmaceutical companies worldwide are rushing to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Some are using traditional vaccine methods, including testing previously developed vaccines for other viruses. Others are using new technology to address the outbreak. The rush to find and deploy a coronavirus vaccine raises several interesting legal and regulatory issues, including balancing speed with efficacy, understanding ownership, and vaccine costs.