FDA to Require 50 Percent Efficacy for COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccine experts divided on whether that level of protection is too low or too demanding.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 2 min read

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The US Food and Drug Administration has released a set of guidelines outlining the approval process for future COVID-19 vaccines, stating that any product will need to prevent or decrease the severity of the disease by at least 50 percent.

The new guidelines were released during a June 30 briefing with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee during which senators sought assurances from FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, and other high-ranking health officials that the expedited speed of development wouldn’t compromise the integrity of the final product.

“I want the American people to hear me when I say we will use the science and data from those trials, and will ensure that our high levels of standards for safety and efficacy are met,” Hahn said during the briefing.

Currently, more than 145 vaccines are being ...

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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