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Well in this scenario I am suggesting that a placebo is a waste of time and we don't need two groups. I am not assuming the vaccine will be 100% effective, or
by cwhiz 6y ago
Well in this scenario I am suggesting that a placebo is a waste of time and we don't need two groups. I am not assuming the vaccine will be 100% effective, or even effective at all. But in order to get meaningful data you can't have all your participants taking the most extreme precautions. The vast majority of American citizens have not, and will not, get Covid.
- DiogenesKynikos 6y agoA few percent of Americans have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. In a study of 30,000 people, enough people will get infected within a few months to give good statistics. At the current rate of confirmed cases in the US, you'd expect about 10 people in the study to get infected each day (fewer if half of them are vaccinated and the vaccine works). Without a placebo group, how will you measure effectiveness and safety? You need to monitor a statistically equivalent group of people to determine the difference in rates of infection and disease, and to look for side-effects.