
Post-Licensure Monitoring And Further Trials
You didn’t think that the vaccine was ready for shipping once the FDA approved the application and gave the licensing, did you? There are further monitoring and trials that come after the approval process. While they don’t last as long as the previous three tests, phase IV still takes a bit of time. However, it’s also an optional phase, so when a vaccine is meant to happen quickly, like with the current crisis, it might not happen. But, most scientists continue with phase IV to ensure that everything is safe and continues to run smoothly.
Phase IV trials focus on the drug companies that might want to conduct their tests once they receive the vaccine. When they do these studies, they work with the manufacturer to ensure efficacy and safety. One of the benefits of these studies is that they often lead to other potential uses. Sometimes this phase will also show that the vaccine can become more robust with a couple of changes, which brings the scientists back to the earlier steps and approval. However, this is all part of the job.