At the moment, developing a coronavirus vaccine to end the pandemic in the US as well as elsewhere in the world is crucial. Even though there are many clinical trials testing potential formulas going on, the chief of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Hahn is unsure about the time it may take for a vaccine to be launched in the market.
In a recent statement made on Sunday, Dr. Hahn specifically mentioned how he or no other health professional can predict when a vaccine would be commercially used for controlling the coronavirus infection.
He further added that the vaccine depends on the data, research, and more clinical trials. Until there is a high success rate, any formula is unlikely to be launched in the market.
The response by Dr. Hahn, who is also a prominent member of the White House coronavirus task force, came after the president of US, Donald Trump assured that a vaccine will be available this year in a media address on the fourth of July.
Trump specifically said, “We are unleashing our nation’s scientific brilliance and we’ll likely have a therapeutic and/or vaccine solution long before the end of the year.”
However, Trump has been criticized severely for his various responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the independence day media address, the president has also encouraged people to take hydroxychloroquine, a drug associated with heart disease, and also created difficulties for health care workers.
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At the beginning of the health crisis, Trump had also claimed that the virus is likely to disappear on its own before the start of May. Therefore, it is not surprising that his recent comments are also at contrast with the opinions of the majority of the medical community.
The difficulty in developing a vaccine was also previously highlighted by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is the chief of the World Health Organization. Dr. Ghebreyesus had reportedly warned that a successful vaccine for coronavirus may never be developed.
Other leading health professionals have also shared similar views, saying a coronavirus vaccine may take more than a year to develop. At most, the vaccine can be available in the mid of 2021.
In his latest interview, Dr. Hahn stated that while there has been an increase in the development of a coronavirus vaccine not only in the US but all around the world, the medical community’s foremost priority is to promise an effective and safe vaccine.
During another interview, he also refused to comment on President Trump’s remark on the ‘majority’ of the coronavirus infections being harmless.
Overall, the progress on developing a coronavirus vaccine has been average. At the moment, over one hundred trials for testing different vaccines are being set up. Trials including humans are also being carried out by Imperial College London and Oxford University.
However, there is still a long way to go before a vaccine becomes commercially available. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and also a part of the White House Task Force, the effectiveness and safety of a vaccine will be known by the start of next year.
The market launch of the coronavirus vaccine is, therefore, going to take an even longer time ranging from months to even years.
