Research ethics and public trust in vaccines: the case of COVID-19 challenge trials.

Despite their clearly demonstrated safety and effectiveness, approved vaccines against COVID-19 are commonly mistrusted. Nations should find and implement effective ways to boost vaccine confidence. But the implications for ethical vaccine development are less straightforward than some have assumed. Opponents of COVID-19 vaccine challenge trials, in particular, made speculative or empirically implausible warnings on this matter, some of which, if applied consistently, would have ruled out most COVID-19 vaccine trials and many non-pharmaceutical responses.
Competing Interests: Competing interests: NE serves on the Advisory Board of challenge trial volunteer organisation 1DaySooner (a non-profit promoting human challenge trials in COVID-19), an unpaid position.
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