In episode 2 of our ‘COVID19 Road to a vaccine series’, Associate Professor Nigel Crawford, from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), Melbourne, Australia, speaks with Professor Kathryn Edwards. Dr Edwards is a professor of paediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is also vice-chair for clinical research. She is an internationally-recognised expert in vaccinology and, in particular, vaccine safety. 

They will be discussing the important topic of vaccine safety when developing a new vaccine, including some of the challenges faced in the COVID19 vaccine development pathway.

In this episode they discuss:

•Professor Edwards' perspective on vaccine safety across her roles as a clinician/scientist/researcher
•Adverse events following immunisation and their implications when developing new vaccines
•Vaccine safety across the different phases (I to IV) of clinical trials
•The importance of data safety and monitoring committees in vaccine trials
•What we can learn from the historical research into the development of SARS and MERS vaccines
•What is ADE (antibody-dependent enhancement of virus infection) and why is it an important consideration in COVID19 vaccine development?
•What are adjuvants and how does the use of them affect safety planning?
•Should pregnant women and children be involved in vaccine trials and how can their participation be managed safely?
•The importance of transparency and honest communication with the public in regards to vaccine safety