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We could make the new vaccine in days, but then it would take many months to pass through all the regulatory barriers.

If the GOP had been smart they'd have been hammering Biden for that instead of doing whatever the hell they are doing. This was a prime opportunity to go "see? Government regulation is bad."

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I too miss the good old days before the FDA was established. If a person taking a lethal snakeoil medicine dies, he has only himself to blame (posthumously).

And who exactly would be making sure companies didn't sell dangerous snake oils as harmless?

How can someone know what's in it if no one is testing medicines or enforcing some set of standards?

Who would make sure the regulators don't prevent a necessary and life saving vaccine or drug from reaching the marketplace in a timely manner?

Errors exist on both sides. In a time critical scenario like a pandemic, the cost of retarding availability of a vaccine could be enormous.

I don't see the problem with making vaccines (or drugs) that have not received FDA approval available, as long as they are clearly marked as such and informed consent is received.

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