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HHS says new vaccines should be tested against placebos. They already are

Redundant testing could reduce protection from infectious diseases

A doctor wipes an alcohol pad on a child's shoulder to prep them for a vaccine.

Vaccines are already rigorously assessed for safety and efficacy, both before and after they’re available to the public, health experts say.

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

By McKenzie Prillaman

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ potential plan to alter vaccine testing has baffled health experts, who worry it could reduce protection from infectious diseases and waste time and money.

The agency said in a recent statement that it intends to require all new vaccines be compared with inert placebos, like saline shots, in clinical trials.