Artist’s conception of RNA. Source, Clipart-Library.com
Here’s some good news: Somebody in authority has finally figured out that they can just skip Phase I clinical trials of proposed vaccines. That was reported today as a “controversial idea” that might “save several months” of time for vaccine development.
Given what I’ve seen so far, it’s a sure bet that the medical establishment will harrumph at length over this, because this does not match the established protocol for vaccine development. But the case for doing this — both medical and economic — is overwhelming. Even the tiniest bit of arithmetic shows how hugely favorable such a strategy is likely to be in this case. (This case being that thousands die daily from the disease, while economies worldwide slide into depression for want of a vaccine.)
Fewer lives lost, fewer dollars lost. By a huge margin. By skipping Phase I.
It’s a no-brainer. And if a person without any medical training could put two-and-two together on that, there’s a least some hope that our hide-bound public health establishment can, eventually, maybe, shake themselves out of business-as-usual long enough to do the same.
Bottom line: Here’s what I said 20 days ago. And I still stand by it.
“What sets me off on this topic is the report that the Federal government was starting Phase I trials of a vaccine. To which I said, why in the hell are they doing that? Allow me to explain. …”
Apparently somebody else came to the same conclusion. Praise be. Now if they can just convince the arithmetic-challenged members of the public health establishment, we can get that vaccine months sooner.
You can see the background — what is Phase I, and what’s the simple arithmetic in favor of skipping it — in Post #601, 4/4/2020.
