Interesting BMJ article:-"Why are countries ordering covid-19 vaccines before they are licensed?Vaccine development is an expensive and risky process that follows a sequential and stepwise course, where companies typically wait for the data from the previous phase before moving on to the next.Pre-ordering is not just about ensuring access to the first batches of vaccine but about speeding up the process, says Alex Harris, head of global policy at the Wellcome Trust. He explains, “In this instance, the essential benefit of having already made upfront investment—in, for example, manufacturing the vaccine at risk [making it with no certainty that it will work] and building a stockpile significantly—outweighs the cost of that vaccine failing.”Harris believes that governments are striking deals early because, without the upfront investment from rich countries, they recognise that vaccine manufacturers would not be making any vaccine at risk: they would wait until they had all of the safety and efficacy data and then get regulatory approval. “Then there would be an almighty bunfight for that very limited supply in six to nine months, and the company would say it’s going to take us some time to ramp up our manufacturing,” he says."https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3226I believe that I have read of aircraft ordered into mass production after minimal testing, during wartime (by UK and other countries). In effect, the experience in combat would be the "test". Any aircraft is better than no aircraft? Time saved versus lives saved - impossible decisions to face.
David Ainsworth ● 1916d