ADVERTISEMENT

NIH Chief Says No Way to Know When Safe Vaccine Will Be Ready

NIH Chief Says No Way to Know When Safe Vaccine Will Be Ready

Contradicting President Donald Trump, the head of the National Institutes of Health said there’s no way to tell if a safe vaccine will be available before the Nov. 3 election. But he remains hopeful that we can have one by year’s end.

“Will it be done by a certain date?” NIH Director Francis Collins said during a congressional hearing Wednesday. “I could not possibly tell you right now. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Collins and Surgeon General Jerome Adams appeared before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions to discuss the importance of vaccines generally, but the focus naturally was on a Covid-19 vaccine with the health leaders attempting to reassure senators the process for reaching a vaccine would be focused on science not politics.

The hearing comes as the chase for a vaccine has been drawn into the political debate, with Trump saying he expects to see a vaccine approved prior to the Nov. 3 presidential election and Democrats citing concern the president will pressure health officials to make that happen. That tension became clear at times during the hearing.

“I just hope Americans will choose to take the information they need from scientists and physicians, and not from politicians,” Collins said in response to questions from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, who cited a series of statements by Trump in the past.

Collins said he has “cautious optimism” that a vaccine will be available by the end of the year. “But even that,” he added, “is a guess.”

Independent Panel

The NIH chief defended the process for approving a safe and effective vaccine, pointing out that study results will be closely reviewed by an independent panel and that political issues will not be involved. He cited AstraZeneca Plc’s decision this week to pause its vaccine study after one patient became ill as an example of a company not compromising on safety.

“This ought to be reassuring to everybody listening,” Collins said. “When we say we are going to focus first on safety and make no compromises, this is exhibit A.”

AstraZeneca’s pause, he said, “is the best sort of cautious approach to quickly stop and look and see if there’s any other evidence to be concerned about.”

Both Collins and Adams said they would get vaccinated as early as possible. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves as soon as they say it’s safe and effective,” Collins said.

Adams, asked the best way to overcome vaccine resistance by the public, said health leaders “need to get out there where the people are and use trusted advocates,” working with the faith community, celebrities, social media influencers and local doctors.

The surgeon general said he’d already been in conversations with Lady Gaga, T.I. and Kylie Jenner about campaigns to promote vaccination.

Vaccinating Children

In response to a question about vaccinating children, Adams said that the first round of shots won’t be available for them. First, scientists have to prove its safety in adults before they enroll children in trials, he said.

Answering a question about diversity, Collins said that in the last few days, a public service campaign has begun in areas near where trials are underway to encourage black Americans to sign up for trials, according to Collins.

“If we don’t succeed in diversity that takes away from the value scientifically,” he said.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.