Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have devoted countless hours to ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccines being deployed and those in the development pipeline are safe and effective. But it’s another task being done outside of the lab that’s growing in importance—helping to ensure public confidence in vaccines.

“Ultimately, all of what we do is for naught if people aren't willing to take the vaccines that come through the development process,” said Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Dr. Marks made his comments while appearing with AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, in the fifth installment of an AMA-hosted "COVID-19: What physicians Need to Know" webinar series to discuss current issues and next steps in vaccine safety and delivery.

Dr. Bailey, a Fort Worth-based allergist and immunologist, began the program by paying tribute to front-line health care workers and to those behind the scenes racing to develop vaccines that could end the pandemic.

“Despite the hope that comes with safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 that are in the early stages of distribution, the case numbers continue to exhaust our hospitals and ICUs and put physicians and other health care workers at serious risk,” Dr. Bailey said. “They are truly the heroes of this moment, but so too are the scientists and researchers who have been working and continue to work around the clock to develop safe and effective vaccines in record time.”

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