The fantastic news about the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines has led many to ask when things will return to normal.

It may seem crazy, but in some clinical trials volunteers are purposely infected with diseases like the flu, cholera and malaria. These types of trials are referred to as challenge studies.

A frequent question we get is when will children be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Several vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have entered the final clinical trials required for licensure. The primary goal of the trials is to test the vaccine candidates’ effectiveness and gather further information on safety.

The excitement is palpable as the first two SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates enter the homestretch for Food and Drug Administration licensure.

In this installment of their popular column, Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp explain why high quality studies are necessary when researching drugs and their usage. The highest quality are randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies, according to the doctors.

In this column, Megan Berman and Richard Rupp discuss the meaning of the terms vaccination and immunization.