How does the vaccine approval procedure affect COVID-19 vaccination intentions?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Health Policy

Background:

• Vaccine willingness is crucial for managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The design of vaccine approval procedures can influence public trust and vaccination attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different vaccine approval procedures (Emergency Use Authorization vs. Conditional Marketing Authorization) impact trust in new vaccines.
• To determine the effect of these procedures on public vaccination intentions.

Main Methods:

• A representative experiment was conducted to compare the effects of two distinct vaccine approval procedures.
• Vaccination intentions were measured as the primary outcome, with trust in vaccines as a key mediator.

Main Results:

• Conditional Marketing Authorization increased vaccination intentions by 13 percentage points compared to Emergency Use Authorization.
• The duration of the approval process positively influenced intentions only for Emergency Use Authorization.
• Trust in vaccines was identified as the primary mechanism driving the observed effects on vaccination intentions.

Conclusions:

• The choice of vaccine approval procedure significantly influences public willingness to vaccinate.
• Promoting trust through more thorough review processes like Conditional Marketing Authorization can enhance vaccine uptake.
• Policy implications suggest that regulatory pathways can be strategically designed to bolster public confidence in vaccines.