Nisha Pandey

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'It’s The Best-Studied Vaccine In Human History': Former CDC Adviser Busts Common Myths About COVID Vaccines

It’s The Best-Studied Vaccine In Human History’: Former CDC Adviser Busts Common Myths About COVID Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out during the pandemic, so questions about their safety, how long they protect against infection and whether mRNA technology was tested for long enough continue to dominate public debate.

Dr <span>Paul Offit</span>, paediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and former member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, says many concerns overlook the the evidence collected before and after the vaccines were introduced.

In an interview with <strong><em>HealthandMe</em></strong>, Offit discussed how long <span>COVID vaccine</span> protection lasts, what scientists have learnt about rare side effects and why the technology behind mRNA vaccines was not as new as many people thought. 

“I think it is probably the best studied vaccine in human history,” Offit said. He pointed to the large number of people who received them and the safety-monitoring systems used to look for adverse effects.

<h2>Why Are People Still Getting <span rel="noindex">COVID</span> After Vaccination?</h2>

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/exclusive-ex-cdc-vaccine-advisor-says-measles-outbreak-bigger-than-reported-slams-rfk-jrs-no-see-evil-approach-article-156363040" data-type="tilCustomLink">EXCLUSIVE: Ex-CDC Vaccine Advisor Says Measles Outbreak Bigger Than Reported, Slams RFK Jr’s ‘No-See Evil’ Approach</a>

The circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/i-never-recovered-from-that-crash-us-physicist-recalls-her-years-long-battle-with-long-covid-article-156393692" data-type="tilCustomLink">COVID-19</a>, is sometimes used to argue that the vaccines do not work. Offit said this misunderstands the type of infection the virus causes and the protection vaccination offers.

“It’s a short incubation period mucosal infection,” he said. “So, vaccination or natural infection will protect you for about four to six months from mild to moderate disease, should protect you for longer against severe disease.”

He compared the future of COVID to influenza, saying that infections will continue even as vaccines help protect against serious illness. 

“Even if everybody in the world were vaccinated every year, that virus would still circulate,” he said. “This virus is now with us forever.”

Offit said the goal of COVID vaccination is not necessarily to prevent every infection. It is to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death, particularly among people most likely to develop severe disease.

“The goal of the vaccine is to keep you out of the hospital and to keep you from dying,” he said.

He said that people over 75, those with chronic heart or <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/amgen-astrazenecas-new-treatment-combination-cuts-advanced-lung-cancer-death-risk-by-58-in-trial-article-156400362" data-type="tilCustomLink">lung disease</a>, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of developing severe complications from COVID. He said these groups should receive a vaccine every year.

<h2>Dr Paul Offit On COVID Vaccine’s Side Effects</h2>

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/american-covid-drives-cases-and-deaths-up-in-uk-unusual-xfg-symptoms-to-watch-for-article-156374084" data-type="tilCustomLink">American COVID Drives Cases And Deaths In UK: Unusual XFG Symptoms To Watch For</a>

When COVID vaccines were first authorised in December 2020, the clinical trials involved approximately 35,000 participants across the Pfizer-BioNTech and <span>Moderna</span> studies, Offit said. Some rare side effects of the vaccine became apparent only after the vaccines were administered to much larger populations.

One such side effect was myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and, less commonly, pericarditis, which affects the lining around the heart.

“Very quickly, it was found to be a rare cause, roughly 1 in 50,000 myocarditis,” Offit said, referring to mRNA COVID vaccines. He said cases were seen primarily in males aged 16 to 29 and were generally short-lived.

Current evidence confirms that <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/is-your-child-heart-at-risk-common-heart-conditions-in-kids-article-151046036" data-type="tilCustomLink">myocarditis</a> and pericarditis are rare but recognised risks associated with mRNA COVID vaccines. The risk has been observed most often in adolescent and young adult males, particularly within seven days after a second dose. 

In June 2025, the <span>US Food and Drug Administration</span> required updated safety warnings for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The <span>FDA</span> also noted that some patients in follow-up studies continued to show signs of heart muscle injury on MRI scans, with improvement in some cases. The long-term significance of these findings remains under investigation. 

Offit also cited the example of Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID vaccine, which was associated with a rare but serious condition involving blood clots and low platelet counts. The vaccine was no longer available in the US by May 2023.

“You're always looking and trying to find any rare side effect that's associated with the vaccine,” he said.

He added that concerns about stillbirths and pregnancy outcomes had circulated despite research examining vaccination during pregnancy.

Offit said there was “no evidence of congenital malformations, no evidence of premature birth or spontaneous abortion” in the studies he was referring to.

<h2>How Long Were mRNA COVID Vaccines Tested?</h2>

Another common concern is that mRNA COVID vaccines were developed too quickly and that the technology had not been studied for long enough. Offit disagreed, saying that the technology was not entirely new.

“I think it was studied for a long time,” he said. He pointed to research into mRNA as a vaccine platform that began decades before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Drew Weissman and Katie Carrico met in 1997 and started working on mRNA as a vaccine platform, for which they won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine,” Offit said.

He also referred to efforts to develop mRNA vaccines against SARS, the coronavirus that caused an outbreak in 2002 and 2003.

“But we really had, really since 1997, information about this vaccine, so like more than 20 years of studies of that vaccine,” he said. “People think it was a new vaccine, but it really wasn't that new.”

The technology had been studied before COVID-19, although the pandemic vaccines themselves still required clinical trials to establish their safety and effectiveness. After their introduction, researchers continued monitoring them to identify rare adverse events.

Why Can You Still Get COVID After Vaccination? Ex-CDC Vaccine Advisor Explains

<h2>Do Benefits Of COVID Vaccines Still Outweigh The Risks?</h2>

Offit said the decision to vaccinate should take into account both the risk of side effects and the risk posed by COVID itself. “I'm an older person, so I'm going to get a <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/japanese-study-on-778000-people-links-covid-19-to-higher-allergy-drug-use-article-156342565" data-type="tilCustomLink">COVID</a> vaccine every year because I think that the benefits clearly outweigh the risks,” he said.

He argued that COVID continues to cause hospitalisations and deaths, making protection against severe disease an important consideration. 

He said that the benefits outweigh the risks, particularly for people at higher risk of serious illness. Individual decisions should also take account of age, underlying health conditions, previous vaccination and current medical guidance.

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COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out during the pandemic, so questions about their safety, how long they protect against infection and whether mRNA technology was tested for long enough continue to dominate public debate.Dr Paul Offit, paediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and former member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, says many concerns overlook the the evidence collected before and after the vaccines were introduced.In an interview with HealthandMe, Offit discussed how long COVID vaccine protection lasts, what scientists have learnt about rare side effects and why the technology behind mRNA vaccines was not as new as many people thought. “I think it is probably the best studied vaccine in human history,” Offit said. He pointed to the large number of people who received them and the safety-monitoring systems used to look for adverse effects.Why Are People Still Getting COVID After Vaccination?Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Ex-CDC Vaccine Advisor Says Measles Outbreak Bigger Than Reported, Slams RFK Jr’s ‘No-See Evil’ ApproachThe circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is sometimes used to argue that the vaccines do not work. Offit said this misunderstands the type of infection the virus causes and the protection vaccination offers.“It’s a short incubation period mucosal infection,” he said. “So, vaccination or natural infection will protect you for about four to six months from mild to moderate disease, should protect you for longer against severe disease.”He compared the future of COVID to influenza, saying that infections will continue even as vaccines help protect against serious illness. “Even if everybody in the world were vaccinated every year, that virus would still circulate,” he said. “This virus is now with us forever.”Offit said the goal of COVID vaccination is not necessarily to prevent every infection. It is to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death, particularly among people most likely to develop severe disease.“The goal of the vaccine is to keep you out of the hospital and to keep you from dying,” he said.He said that people over 75, those with chronic heart or lung disease, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of developing severe complications from COVID. He said these groups should receive a vaccine every year.Dr Paul Offit On COVID Vaccine’s Side EffectsAlso read: American COVID Drives Cases And Deaths In UK: Unusual XFG Symptoms To Watch ForWhen COVID vaccines were first authorised in December 2020, the clinical trials involved approximately 35,000 participants across the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna studies, Offit said. Some rare side effects of the vaccine became apparent only after the vaccines were administered to much larger populations.One such side effect was myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and, less commonly, pericarditis, which affects the lining around the heart.“Very quickly, it was found to be a rare cause, roughly 1 in 50,000 myocarditis,” Offit said, referring to mRNA COVID vaccines. He said cases were seen primarily in males aged 16 to 29 and were generally short-lived.Current evidence confirms that myocarditis and pericarditis are rare but recognised risks associated with mRNA COVID vaccines. The risk has been observed most often in adolescent and young adult males, particularly within seven days after a second dose. In June 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration required updated safety warnings for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The FDA also noted that some patients in follow-up studies continued to show signs of heart muscle injury on MRI scans, with improvement in some cases. The long-term significance of these findings remains under investigation. Offit also cited the example of Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, which was associated with a rare but serious condition involving blood clots and low platelet counts. The vaccine was no longer available in the US by May 2023.“You're always looking and trying to find any rare side effect that's associated with the vaccine,” he said.He added that concerns about stillbirths and pregnancy outcomes had circulated despite research examining vaccination during pregnancy.Offit said there was “no evidence of congenital malformations, no evidence of premature birth or spontaneous abortion” in the studies he was referring to.How Long Were mRNA COVID Vaccines Tested?Another common concern is that mRNA COVID vaccines were developed too quickly and that the technology had not been studied for long enough. Offit disagreed, saying that the technology was not entirely new.“I think it was studied for a long time,” he said. He pointed to research into mRNA as a vaccine platform that began decades before the COVID-19 pandemic.“Drew Weissman and Katie Carrico met in 1997 and started working on mRNA as a vaccine platform, for which they won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine,” Offit said.He also referred to efforts to develop mRNA vaccines against SARS, the coronavirus that caused an outbreak in 2002 and 2003.“But we really had, really since 1997, information about this vaccine, so like more than 20 years of studies of that vaccine,” he said. “People think it was a new vaccine, but it really wasn't that new.”The technology had been studied before COVID-19, although the pandemic vaccines themselves still required clinical trials to establish their safety and effectiveness. After their introduction, researchers continued monitoring them to identify rare adverse events.                     Do Benefits Of COVID Vaccines Still Outweigh The Risks?Offit said the decision to vaccinate should take into account both the risk of side effects and the risk posed by COVID itself. “I'm an older person, so I'm going to get a COVID vaccine every year because I think that the benefits clearly outweigh the risks,” he said.He argued that COVID continues to cause hospitalisations and deaths, making protection against severe disease an important consideration. He said that the benefits outweigh the risks, particularly for people at higher risk of serious illness. Individual decisions should also take account of age, underlying health conditions, previous vaccination and current medical guidance.

it’s the best-studied vaccine in human history’: former cdc adviser busts common myths about covid vaccines

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