William Schaffner, M.D., Vanderbilt University
Question: What are the steps in making sure a vaccine is safe and effective (normal clinical trial period)?
Answer: The H1N1 vaccine like the annual influenza vaccine is subject to clinical trials and a lot of laboratory evaluation before it is licensed and released to the public. The clinical trials for H1N1 vaccine are under way at the present time and they check for effectiveness and safety. We're not cutting any corners. We're working as quickly as possible to get this H1N1 vaccine ready for use, but all the usual safeguards are going to be in place to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective once we start to use it.
