The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is considering a new rule mandating placebo-controlled trials for all new or updated vaccines, including routine flu updates. Critics may see this as a move toward better testing, but it could lead to significant delays in vaccine availability and hinder innovation in vaccine technologies. Currently, regulators ensure rapid testing of flu vaccines, allowing timely updates to protect the public. Established guidelines already prioritize providing proven vaccinations to control groups, reinforcing that placebo use should only occur when necessary.
Placebos are indispensable when no preventive exists or when skipping vaccination poses little risk. Once a proven vaccine is available, giving volunteers a saltwater placebo isn't better science; it's withholding proven protection.
Regulators already follow that rule. Each spring, manufacturers update the flu shot and run quick studies that measure immune response or compare the new formula to last year's vaccine.
Collection
[
|
...
]