This week, two high-profile clinical trials—Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine testing and Eli Lilly’s Covid-19 drug—were paused due to safety concerns. Only one month earlier, AstraZeneca’s vaccine trial was paused after two volunteers became ill.
In light of these developments, Sermo physicians discuss the safety, process, and timing of the potential vaccines.
In a poll of almost 800 Sermo physicians, 56% said they were concerned that a volunteer in Johnson & Johnson’s trial became ill, while 44% are not concerned by this. When asked if it was unreasonable to expect a vaccine to be available before November 3rd, 88% said yes. In terms of the specific timeline, here is how Sermo physicians responded:
When the vaccine is ready, 79% believe only a small portion of the population, such as essential healthcare workers, will receive it initially. And 74% said they agree with experts who say there is no guarantee that a vaccine will even work against the coronavirus.
Here is more what Sermo physicians have to say on this subject:
