Ousted Doc: Vaccine May Be Over 18 Months Away

USA Today reports:

Former immunologist at the Department of Health and Human Services Rick Bright expressed concern that the nation is rushing too quickly on a vaccine for coronavirus, risking a vaccine being used before a full assessment is made of its efficacy.

He called the hope that a vaccine could be available in 12 to 18 months an “aggressive schedule.” “And I think it will take longer,” he said.

Vaccines normally take up to a decade. They can be done faster in an emergency but a 12-to-18-month schedule would require everything to go perfectly, he added. “We’ve never seen anything go perfectly,” he said.

Dr. Rick Bright on vaccine timeline:

“A lot of optimism is swirling around a 12-18 month timeframe, if everything goes perfectly. We’ve never seen everything go perfectly … I still think 12-18 months is an aggressive schedule, and I think it’s going to take longer than that.” pic.twitter.com/ORIo4yoeBk

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 14, 2020