When mRNA vaccines emerged as heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, headlines heralded them as a revolutionary new technology. Many people wondered: How could a new technology be safe enough to give to millions of people? The answer reveals a surprising truth: mRNA technology isn’t new at all. Scientists have been developing and testing it since 1978 systematically proving its safety through decades of careful research.
Few people realize that mRNA vaccines existed long before COVID-19 [but] hadn’t gained widespread use for a simple reason. [W]hile they consistently proved safe in trials spanning decades, they often fell short of the high efficacy standards required for regulatory approval. In other words, the vaccines were safe but not effective enough at preventing disease to justify widespread use. Then came COVID-19, and something extraordinary happened.
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