IN SHORT: It may be too late for pharma to persuade the public that any COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective as the FDA continues to be a political baseball in play.

It’s now being reported that up to one-third of people may not get a COVID-19 vaccination when one become available. They are fearful of “quick approval” without adequate testing and although pharma has banded together to reassure the public it may be too little too late.

According to STAT News “seventy-eight percent of Americans worry the Covid-19 vaccine approval process is being driven more by politics than science, according to a new survey from STAT and the Harris Poll, a reflection of concern that the Trump administration may give the green light to a vaccine prematurely”.

There is a real fear that Trump will put pressure on the US Food and Drug Administration to quickly approve a vaccine before the election. The FDA’s decision to allow the use of hydroxychloroquine — a disproved drug touted by the president — to treat the virus before it performed a U-turn after several studies showed the medicine did not benefit patients has made patients very nervous.

Now comes the power of social media. Someone who volunteered for a COVID-19 vaccine trial posted the following:

For those who are considering getting the COVID -19 vaccine. Some of us have a mutual friend but I don’t want to share his name for his right to privacy. He decided to take part in the Vaccine trial. He just started this a week and a half ago and This is his journey.

I decided to participate in a vaccine test, I either got saline water or the COVID vaccine, but I’m as sick as I’ve ever been in years, so I think that I got the real stuff

Day 2 after the vaccine, intense side pain, nausea, dizziness, hot and cold flashes, I kind of wish I had just got the placebo

Day 3 after vaccine trial, side hurts, neck hurts, nausea and chills, no abatement. I hope they settle this thing down a bit before production, shit!

Day 4 after taking the Pfizer COVID vaccine, nausea has subsided somewhat, not so much hot/cold flashes and sweats, I still have intense pain in my side

4 hours later: At the COVID vaccine docs this sucks. Seems like every doc wants a different test. I’m just laying here hurting

Update on the vaccine, it looks like it has agitated my pancreas, CAT scans coming Monday, I don’t think that Pfizer’s vaccine is quire ready, ouch!

Well, day six on the COVID vaccine, side pain has thankfully lessened. Nausea, the shaking, and the chills/sweats which had seemed to be getting better, well these all returned with a vengeance.

I’m living from Phenergan to Phenergan just to keep from assuming the position over the toilet and letting loose with yet another long, violent trump rally! Blech!

One even week after the COVID vaccine trial, still waiting on blood tests, but still sick as hell. I managed to find out that other people have had this hard a time with it, but that most don’t have any trouble at all! Poop! I just had to be one of the unlucky ones

9 days: Thanks to all who sent your good wishes, it looks like the ill effects from the COVID vaccine are a thing of the past, I feel fine this morning!

Well, I’m still OK after a good day yesterday. I’m 10 days out from getting the COVID vaccine. It was one hell of a ride for a while, now I’m just… HUNGRY!

Wow! Hw many people are going to get a vaccine with stories like this? My guess is, not many.

Nw pharma has entered the debate but it’s too late. With stories swirling about the potential profit of a COVID vaccine will people feel that they just want to make a lot of money? Do people really feel the FDA has been politically compromised?

Why pharma companies waited until the house was fully engulfed in flames before calling the Fire Department is beyond me but it’s going to take a lot of work to get this right.