NIH director, surgeon general to discuss vaccine safety on Capitol Hill

Now that Congress is back in session, it's gearing up to be a busy day for lawmakers. NIH Director Francis Collins and Surgeon General Jerome Adams are set to testify in front of a Senate committee on vaccine safety, a topic that has come back to the forefront as pharma companies and academic researchers work at unprecedented speeds to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. Nearly 130 vaccine candidates are currently being explored, almost 40 of which are already in clinical trials. The NIH is a crucial part of the White House's Operation Warp Speed and is collaborating on Moderna's and AstraZeneca's vaccines, which are in Phase 3 trials. And while some drug company executives have vowed not to push vaccines through for approval until they have demonstrable safety and efficacy data, the rise of vaccine hesitancy even before the pandemic could hinder efforts to get the country properly immunized against SARS-CoV-2.

Also happening on Capitol Hill today: A House committee hearing on how the pandemic has impacted research at universities, and a different Senate committee's hearing to consider legislation on mental health care and suicide prevention for U.S. veterans.