04-27-2020, 03:03 PM
It seems to me like "let's spend a lot of money and do a lot of research and do it as fast as we can" is in a far different league from those other ones, which really would be miracles. It hardly seems like an easy way out to do things like research multiple lines of attack, build out facilities for those, test them rigorously, etc.
Also, the point of the challenge trial is that you need to get this data somehow, exposing people to the pathogen on purpose is mainly faster than merely allowing them to go about their lives and maybe get exposed. And if there was some kind of adverse reaction then you'd be able to concentrate that risk in a much smaller number of people, and perhaps even stop the trial early, because the statistics are so much easier when you know everyone was exposed.
As I said before, I don't see why we'd accept sending volunteers off to war, but not challenge trials.
Also, the point of the challenge trial is that you need to get this data somehow, exposing people to the pathogen on purpose is mainly faster than merely allowing them to go about their lives and maybe get exposed. And if there was some kind of adverse reaction then you'd be able to concentrate that risk in a much smaller number of people, and perhaps even stop the trial early, because the statistics are so much easier when you know everyone was exposed.
As I said before, I don't see why we'd accept sending volunteers off to war, but not challenge trials.