r/publichealth • u/GeologistBrave6866 • 4d ago

NEWS FDA Approves Updated Covid Vaccines With New Restrictions (Gift Article)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/fda-covid-vaccines-rfk-jr.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hU8.6yH0.Gn_6VUEr6RpO&smid=url-share

Ugh.

In a social media post, Mr. Kennedy said the approvals accomplished the goals of keeping vaccines available to people who want them and of demanding that companies conduct placebo-controlled trials. One new, required study would examine “post-Covid-19 vaccination syndrome” in patients, a condition that has been noted in at least one small preliminary medical report, but is still a matter of pitched debate.

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u/ActuallyApathy 3d ago

this is a silly question probably, but what is the point in doing placebo for a vaccine? isn't it kind of like doing placebo for a condom? (i.e. you don't get placebo pregnacies or placebo covid)

or is the placebo to measure side effects and post-vaccine syndromes?

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u/Katey5678 3d ago

There’s a placebo vaccine that doesn’t contain anything (usually saline, I think) so you still get a shot and don’t know whether it’s actually the vaccine or not. 

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u/ActuallyApathy 3d ago

yeah i guess my question is more why do a placebo for a prophylactic medicine? my thought is it either prevents it or it doesn't, but maybe it's to study vaccine side effects or something?

(i'm not against doing it btw, just genuinely curious)

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u/Katey5678 3d ago

Well, it’s to make sure the prophylactic actually works and yes, side effects too. The placebo effect is powerful, and it’s important to be sure (at least 95% confident) that any prophylactic effect from the vaccine is truly from the vaccine and not from other things that can happen (e.g., person changing their behaviors to be more cautious after getting vaccinated). It also, yes, can be a good way to be sure about what side effects are truly from the vaccine as well. Placebo-controlled trials are really about the “effective” part though more than safety. 

It’s exactly the reason why we have trials. Because we don’t want to recommend things to people that we aren’t at least 95% sure it truly works. In the case of the COVID vaccine, we realized quickly it works and approved it for EUA. 

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u/ActuallyApathy 3d ago

okay that make sense! i put my brain to work too soon after waking up and ending going 'wait why do we science?' lol