Will the Covid vaccine be safe? What the scientists want to see

Those are different questions.”Should we withhold the vaccine from the population for two years because we want perfect data?Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said the promising results so far offer hope that these vaccines could be “the equivalent of a medical home run,” but added that the agency will need to carefully assess the raw data from the trials.“We don't just look at a scientific paper or press release,” Hahn said Thursday during a Facebook Live interview with Dr. John Torres, NBC News senior medical correspondent.The FDA requires that vaccine developers submit two months of follow-up safety data as part of the application for emergency use. As such, it’s not yet known if there could be side effects unique to mRNA vaccines, though neither Pfizer nor Moderna has reported any serious safety issues in their trials so far.Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak“We don’t have vaccines that have used these technologies before,” Salmon said. Members of this committee include physicians, scientists, infectious disease specialists and a consumer representative, but the group is not employed by the FDA or associated with any of the vaccine developers.People hear ‘warp speed’ and it gives the perception that shortcuts are being taken that can impact safety.After the committee makes its recommendations, the FDA will decide whether to grant authorization for emergency use.