HHS Secretary Azar Statement on Moderna Vaccine Announcement

On Monday, the National Institutes of Health announced that an independent data and safety monitoring board’s interim review of data from Moderna’s investigational COVID-19 vaccine suggests that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in adults. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement:

“The Moderna/NIH vaccine candidate is now the second vaccine to show the potential for very high efficacy in Phase 3 trials. Operation Warp Speed has provided about $2 billion in funding and operational support for development, manufacturing, and eventual potential delivery of the Moderna/NIH vaccine. This news is another stunning result of President Trump’s leadership and his unwavering support for Operation Warp Speed, an incredible tribute to American scientists and innovators, and one more reminder that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”