On April 30, HHS announced that all new vaccines must undergo placebo-controlled trials, sparking debate about the ethics of placebo-testing vaccines when other vaccines are available. Many prominent anti-vaccine advocates used the news to falsely claim that no vaccines are tested against a placebo. Media coverage and social media posts about the new guidelines expressed concern about the impact on the availability of updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Several posts corrected the misconception that vaccines are not tested and explained the vaccine development process. Others celebrated the change, claiming it is long overdue, and questioned the safety of existing vaccines.
Recommendation
The HHS guidance requiring placebo testing for new vaccines lends credence to the misleading and persistent anti-vaccine talking point that vaccines are never placebo tested. Debunking messaging may explain that all vaccines—old and new—are safety tested. Messaging may also explain that using a saline placebo to test a new vaccine when an effective vaccine is available could raise serious ethical issues, put people at unnecessary risk, and discourage participation in vaccine trials. Additionally, the requirement for new vaccines may delay the availability of frequently updated vaccines, like updated COVID-19 and annual flu vaccines.
Fact-checking sources: FactCheck.org, The Dispatch
