Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Nine rival companies have pledged that any coronavirus vaccine they produce will be developed and tested with “high ethical standards and sound scientific principles.” The statement appears to be an effort by the pharmaceutical industry to quell public concerns that the vaccine approval process may be influenced by politics or other interests instead of safety.
The statement, signed by the CEO of each company says: “We believe this pledge will help ensure public confidence in the rigorous scientific and regulatory process by which COVID-19 vaccines are evaluated and may ultimately be approved.”
The companies’ plans for the pledge were first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday. Among other things, the statement promises that…