Navigating Ethical and Practical Challenges in COVID Vaccine Trials

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The chapter explores the complexities of COVID vaccine trials, addressing ethical dilemmas, the influence of political and commercial factors, and the importance of prioritizing severe disease outcomes. It discusses controversies like Pfizer's statistical plan alteration and its potential impact on vaccine availability during critical periods.

The Covid vaccine saved many lives but so many mistakes were made in how public health officials discussed it, implemented it, and assessed its effectiveness. Epidemiologist Vinay Prasad of the University of California, San Francisco talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about what went wrong, the costs of the mistakes that were made, and what we can do better the next time.