6:29pm: Dennison’s agent has chimed in on this situation, indicating his client remains in the picture for the Vikings, via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling (on Twitter). The Vikings have indeed managed to retain Dennison, keeping him on staff as a senior offensive advisor. Rauscher remains in place as the team’s offensive line coach.
3:31pm: The Vikings released a statement indicating that while Dennison does not have a medical or religious exemption to avoid the vaccine under the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, he and the team continue to hold discussions, the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson tweets. These discussions would seemingly be centered around Dennison changing his mind on the vaccine, but it does not appear he is 100% out the door just yet.
2:44pm: Vikings offensive line coach Rick Dennison will not be with the team going forward. The longtime NFL assistant is done with the Vikings due to his refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
While the NFLPA bargained for players to not be required to receive the vaccine, coaches must provide medical or religious grounds in order to refuse it. Otherwise, they cannot work with players onsite. Dennison’s refusal will wrap his two-plus-year tenure with the Vikings, who hired him as their O-line coach in January 2019. Minnesota will promote assistant O-line coach Phil Rauscher to fill the position, Cronin adds.
The Vikings hired Dennison after bringing Gary Kubiak aboard as offensive coordinator, and he was set to work under new OC Klint Kubiak this season. Dennison, 63, was set to serve as a key aid for the younger Kubiak this season. He is believed to be the first coach to part ways with a team due to a vaccination refusal. The Vikings also hired Ben Steele to fill Rauscher’s assistant O-line coach post, per Cronin. Steele spent the past two seasons with the Falcons; he worked as their tight ends coach in 2020.
Dennison had been on Gary Kubiak’s Super Bowl-winning Broncos staff as OC and initially rose to an NFL offensive coordinator role by succeeding Kubiak in that post in Denver in 2006. Dennison later worked under Kubiak as OC in Houston and was the Bills’ OC in 2017. The former Broncos linebacker has been an NFL assistant since Mike Shanahan began his HC tenure in Denver in 1995.
This marks the second time in four years the Vikings have needed to replace their O-line coach in July. Tony Sparano‘s death in July 2018 forced Minnesota to rearrange its staff. Dennison became Sparano’s full-time replacement months later, also working as the team’s run-game coordinator.
What a fool
For making a personal decision?
Yes, for making a foolish personal decision. If it’s worth it to him to make a political statement or whatever, good for him, but it is objectively a foolish decision to leave a lucrative job for this reason.
How is it only a political statement to not get the vaccine but getting it isn’t? You have no clue how many weirdos at games are holding up signs saying “I got vaccinated” who cares?!! There is so much unknown about the vaccine that to a lot of people it’s not worth getting. I personally know someone who has been paralyzed from it, another had an allergic reaction, and the obvious sick. It’s not a simple, “oh all the Hollywood bozos got it, it must be good”. There’s a legit decision that has to be made. Either way is totally up to you. Nfl is making a bad decision here.
Agree 100% If it’s not good enough for my kids it’s not good enough for me.
Really…. So you don’t drink alcohol, never smoked cigarettes or drugs, never consumed coffee? Lame comment
The fish you miss should be teaching you a lesson as they’re smarter than you.
You do not know someone who got paralyzed as a direct cause from the vaccine. What BS
I love anecdotal stories about Covid and vaccines, many which are exaggerated or simply made up.
No you don’t
Why does it have to be political? If there is a new epidemic, you get the vaccine they put out so it goes away. It’s pretty simple. If they are microchiping us, it’s been done already.
I got sick form the vaccine and didn’t care about getting sick. Would rather that then dying or suffering long term health consequences from a virus that has destroyed this planet.
It’s not political, it’s medical. And just so you know, those of us who have had covid and have the antibodies are NOT anti vaccine. I judge no one for getting it but those like yourself feel free to judge those who decline. Odd, isn’t it?
It’s not medical; if it was, he could be exempt, as is stated in the article. And just so you know, whether you’ve had COVID or not, if you refuse to take the vaccine, you are by definition anti-vaccine. I absolutely feel free to judge people who make foolish decisions, thanks.
We’ll see. The trials for the vaccine started less than a year ago.
I just finished a book called Miller’s Review of 400 critical vaccine studies.
It’s fact based, full of medical sources, eye opening and highly rated.
I support anyone who doesn’t want to be vaccinated after reading that book.
Lawsuit! I’d sue the team and the league.
Good luck suing a private company for creating and enforcing safety rules. You’d waste money and get laughed out of the preliminary hearing.
Can’t have rules apply to some adults (staff) and not others (players). That’s the definition of discrimination.
Why not
Easy. “Black people can not apply to this job.”. How about that? It’s discrimination.
I normally try to stay out of these threads on posts like this. But if you’re actually comparing this to racial discrimination, then you can’t be taken seriously.
Discrimination none the less. What if he was black? Could you imagine the outrage by the players? Same principal.
The word you’re looking for is “principle”
Ah! A spelling, punctuation Nazi! I thought they were all gone.
Discrimination laws aren‘t written that broadly.
Players are union and coaches are not so they can have different rules.
From Wiki:The National Football League Coaches Association (NFLCA) is a group of coaches in the National Football League (NFL). As of 2012, the only coach not in the association was Bill Belichick.[1]
Coaches are unionized as well.
Right, and their union didn’t fight for (or end up winning) the same priorities. This is only hard to understand if you try really, really hard to make it that way.
Plenty of players aren’t vaccinated. But that must be too hard for you to comprehend.
Not at all, I understand that fully. It’s you who is willfully not understanding that the players union and coaches union are not the same entity, and have not negotiated the same things around vaccinations.
I never said the 2 unions were combined or joint. But both are unions. And if you think the coaches union didn’t think this out, you’re a fool.
You really believe only the NFLPA took Covid protocols serious?
“While the NFLPA bargained for players to not be required to receive the vaccine, coaches must provide medical or religious grounds in order to refuse it. Otherwise, they cannot work with players onsite.” Learn to read the article before you spout complete lies and then call others “fool”.
You didn’t even know there was a coaches union, fool.
Complete false equivalence, and yes, you can absolutely have rules that apply to some but not to others. Players have to wear uniforms during games and coaches do not – is that illegal in your mind too?Players have a union that fights for specific rights and gives up other things in return (NFLPA), and they got a concession that coaches did not get as a result. Toddy is correct, he would get laughed out of court if he tried to sue.
I have never seen a coach w/o his/her team colors and logos worn, never.
Ok? That has zero to do with what I posted.
Tell me an assistant staff member who refused to wear their team’s colors. Name 1, Ive been watching the game since the 70’s. College assistants wear their uni’s colors.
Not an assistant coach at the time, but when Jack Del Rio was head coach he wore a suit that wasn’t team colors
Your line: ‘Players have to wear uniforms during games and coaches do not – is that illegal in your mind too?’
But coaches not wearing franchise uniforms is false?
Team colors and logos are not the same as the football uniform players wear. That doesn’t feel like something that should need to be explained in this much detail, most children can tell the difference.
So all of the fans that buy jerseys are different than ‘players uniforms”? Are you that uninformed?
Let’s say a NY Jet assistant wore a NE Pat shirt to work on game day, you don’t think that would tick off his/her employer? That’s fireable.
Coaches have to wear uniforms. They can only wear league issued gear supplied by Nike on the sidelines.
The coaches’ union may not have argued for a vaccine related provision in an agreement, but that does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of a wrongful termination suit. The broader consequence of a termination due to unwillingness to take a vaccine for non-NFL employees in the country could very easily make this a matter that courts will consider. There is a lot of reason to believe that this issue will soon be a public one not related to the NFL, and I would have every reason to believe that a court could consider Dennison’s case or one similar. Proving one’s vaccination status would require disclosing personal medical information, and as such would create an issue for enforcement of a vaccination clause in an employment agreement.
So if standing for the anthem was an NFL policy and enforced would it still be okay to fine or cut someone because they didn’t or does it only count if it fits with the political agenda? I am all for get it if you want or don’t get it.
If the NFL decided that was the rule and enacted it, then yes, that would absolutely be ok (assuming there aren’t any extra protections against that previously agreed upon by the NFLPA). Because as has been said multiple times, employers have the right to dictate the terms of their employment as long as it doesn’t violate federally protected classes (like race or gender), and employees have the right to work elsewhere if they disagree. Only one side is making this discussion political.
I would love to see a black coach say no and what would happen. Hop Already threaten to retire, in his prime.
The guy who threatened to retire in his prime making $27.5m a year because he won’t take the vaccine… it’s almost like anti vaxxers aren’t smart hmm…
If he wants to burn away his pension money, have at it.
Lol winner of the dumbest post of the day. Lawsuit? Lol
So it’s ok for minorities to sue over discrimination but not white folks? Now that’s a dumb post.
NFL is killing itself from the inside. You want to get the vaccine? Great go get it! You don’t want to? That’s 100% fine too. The left straight up bullying people again. If the vaccine works, shouldn’t people who have it not care who doesn’t have it? Or does it not actually work and people shoving it down your throat are just virtue signaling? Either way, Goodell is further proving he’s a total clown. This does nothing but divide the league. Fans and employees
Cry
lmao NFL will be fine. Cry harder, baby.
My kids don’t have it.
And the longer it hangs around the better chance it develops another more dangerous variant that could be resistant or immune to the vaccine I have.
So yeah. I kind of care.
The man is standing by is morals and values. Big middle finger to those of you talking smack. If you’re religious would you denounce god just for a job? No. No you wouldn’t. Just shut it. Be mad at yourself for believing what the media tells you and getting the shot in the first place. That’s on you.
Agree
Kinda feels like you’re the mad one here. Of course he has a right to do what he wants with his body, and of course the NFL has the right to do what they want with their league. Seems pretty straightforward to me – enjoy your big middle finger and no paycheck, Dennison.
Not angry at all. Answer this, have any of you been asked about any other vaccine at any time for employment, airfare, event tickets? NOPE. Why now? This isn’t nearly as deadly as what you’ve already been vaccinated for. You’re a sheep if you got the shot. Simple as that.
Is that a serious question? Because there’s never been (at least in my lifetime) an international pandemic that every government and health agency in the world agreed was powerful enough to shut whole countries down. Of course there will be different measures for getting back to normal.
By not answering my question you actually answered it. Thanks for proving me right. I was sitting here thinking you’d have a good argument. 4M people have died and I admit that is a tragedy. But out of 7.5 billion, that’s not something I’m gonna worry about. Forcing this shot on anyone would be the same as forcing homosexuals to have an HIV shot since it is mostly passed around by them. It’s ridiculous. There are HIPAA laws for this exact reason. Get over your liberal self and realize people still have freedom of choice that can’t be taken away be anyone or any company without repercussions.
You’re not “gonna worry” about 4 million dead people… You’re officially inhuman. “Only” six million Jews were murdered during the holocaust… Insignificant, right?
You are a fool for electing not to receive a life-saving vaccination. Our country failed you
Life saving yet people with the vaccine still get sick……… And Don’t try to say it’s the unvaccinated people’s fault because if this was a true vaccine, you’d get enough antibodies with one or two shots and be good forever. You have no idea what you let them put in your body. I mean it did take a whopping 8 months create. Good luck with that.
99% of those hospitalized today are unvaccinnated
Completely false. 63% of hospitalized have been vaccinated
Not true…you are going by the UK press conference where the health director said it backwards…of course all the anti Vax jumped on it..but won’t acknowledge the correction made later in the day. The majority of people in hospitals are not fully vaccinated..fact!!
This is utterly false. Almost every COVID death over the last three months is with unvaccinated people. You are spreading lies and false information.
Per an AP investigation of CDC figures, 150 of the 18,000 COVID deaths in the US in May were in vaccinated people. If you truly believe that 63% of those hospitalized have been vaccinated, you have been lied to.
Love to see where this data comes from.
In my area we get biweekly updates of breakthrough case numbers and it’s 93.8% of cases that are unvaccinated since March 15th.
It’s not morals and values. It’s fear and selfishness. Plain and simple.
You either take a very very small personal risk to get the vaccine to help stop this from moving around the population…. Or you decide that taking a very very small personal risk isn’t worth helping to keep yourself and others safer.
If something happened to endanger people around you…. Would you step in front to protect them or hide behind your kids and grandparents so you didn’t get hurt? I don’t understand how anyone sees this choice as different.
It may be fear, but is it selfish to refuse a vaccine and yet not selfish to demand that someone gets it who doesn’t want it?
There is some faulty logic in the assumption that new variants are only spread by unvaccinated people. They are more likely to get it, which is certainly, and as such are more likely to provide breeding grounds for new generations. I agree with that. However, it is also true that vaccinated people can also get it. Blaming it all entirely on unvaccinated people is not entirely fair.
I got the vaccine. I never got COVID, despite living with someone who was definitely infected. I am still wary of a long term consequence of the vaccine, while at the same time understanding the necessity of its quick development. I think that there are a lot of arguments against getting the vaccine that are, frankly, quite bad. I do recognize two things, though: that anyone concerned over long term effects of the vaccine and refuses to get it has a good reason that I respect, and that everyone should be able to make their own decision for themselves on the matter. I also know that refusing the vaccine is not limited to one group, racially or politically. So making political or judge mental statements will not effectively increase the chances of anyone taking it.
The amount of people who don’t understand he has the right to not vaccinate and the team has the right to dismiss him for it is too damn high. Personally he’s an idiot and the Vikings are better off without a potential threat to their team. At the end of the day he’s replaceable whereas a player especially a good one is going to have a longer leash with this foolishness.
Is that the world you want to live in? Where companies use their rights to force things on you? That’s communist tendencies. How’s Cuba been?
What’s it like to not know what words mean? A company dictating the terms of employment for their company is not communism by even the most twisted of definitions. Don’t agree with it? Find a different employer who agrees with you. Can’t do that in communism, can certainly do so here.
Didn’t say it was communism. That’s why I said tendencies. What’s it like to not know what a word means? I hope no one does that at your job; forcing you to do something. It’s legal, but immoral
Putting “tendencies” after a completely incorrect word doesn’t make it less incorrect. You were completely wrong, take your L and stop embarrassing yourself.
The classic play on words to make a point. “Take your L!” Aka I have nothing to come back with. And nice job responding to all the comments except my initial one.
And for real man. And everyone else, I don’t want any beef. Let’s just try to see eye to eye on things. I get it’s their total right, but I personally don’t believe it’s moral. You can believe different. I for real don’t want any beef and apologize for being a buffoon on the internet. For real man.
That fool doesn’t have a job. Him and his man bun are down in mommy’s basement screaming for a cheese sandwich.
I private company enforcing safety protocols/rules isn’t communist tendencies. It’s pretty simple, you don’t want the shot? Fine. Then you can quit your job. It’s a decision that he made to not get it. Every decision has a consequence. If he’s confident in his decisions and stable in life, why should you care?
“Safety protocols”. If the vaccine works why should those without it care? Or does it not work?
Umm you clearly don’t know what communism is, that’s capitalism you just described.
“Oh you’re right. I hate capitalism now!”That’s what I was supposed to say right? Again, if you and cam fost think this is a moral thing to do, go ahead. This is awful for the league. No other league has done this to my knowledge and have worked out fine. I get every game matters in the nfl, but just make teams play with who is available. That simple
You know nothing about communism LMAO
Certainly a dilemma. Personal choice, right or wrong in the public eye will divide people. Terminate a female for getting pregnant and watch the baby strollers surround your office? Hire a person or not based on race, religion and out march the protesters and signs. Killed by police rather than a criminal and cities burn. Private company or not when your employer demands you put something untested in your body as a stipulation of employment theres an ambulance chasing attorney making a letter to your house tomorrow.
PS….I had my shots months ago so I’m just enjoying life!
Rather than express my opinion on the vaccine I’d just like to thank Mr. Robinson for allowing comments. I’m not sure why Zach is afraid to do likewise.
If you’re referring to MLBTR, it’s because those comments (imo) are way more emotionally charged than the ones here. There’s huge flame wars in posts about middle relievers being designated for assignment. I’m not sure they can handle a COVID discussion.
I generally don’t venture to the other rumor forums here, but in any event, it’s my understanding that a moderator can easily delete comments that grossly violate the website policy. I’ve been here on an almost daily basis for about 3 years now and I would guess that less than 2% of comments required the moderator to take some action. Shutting down the 98% of responsible posters just because a few bad apples might show up doesn’t make much sense to me.
I don’t know, rct. There’s whole lot of people calling each other idiots for their stances here. I don’t think it should be shut down, I like debate, but certain people think that it’s vitally important that they address every idiot they find (in their opinion) and call him such. I think one guy has replied to literally every comment he doesn’t like just to tell someone they’re an idiot. He’s got like thirty comments here. So I’d say that they’re pretty emotionally charged at the moment.
To my mind, there is a big difference between name calling (which most posters simply ignore) and someone who is a hard core troll. If you’re so sensitive you can’t handle being called an idiot (most of us have been called that and worse) then you probably should just avoid public forums of all types. I think I’ve encountered about 3 hard core trolls in my time here and the PFR staff dealt quickly and effectively with those offenders in each case.
Maybe it was because of that Indians –> Guardians thread. Although I quite enjoyed that one.
It’s funny…certain people had a very different reaction when Ricky Williams left the NFL because he didn’t think they should get to dictate what goes into his body.
He was a “selfish” “loser” and a “quitter” and a “fool”, meanwhile his choice affected no one but himself.
I wonder why their reaction is different now…
Uh so he’s out before the season, say the team kept him on and he contracts Covid and infects the team. Yes his choice ultimately affected no one but only because the Vikings put a halt to him. Just dumb yinzgrate
His exact point was that Ricky’s decision only affected himself, and this coach’s decision does not, so it’s hypocritical to be against the former but not the latter. Don’t be in such a rush to insult someone that you miss what they are saying altogether.
He’s so mad about me calling yinzers ingrates he missed that we agree on this one.
Vaccinated player gets covid, player goes into protocol.
Unvaccinated player gets covid, player goes into protocol.
What’s different again?
A lot actually, read the NFL memo that went out.
Vaccinated players or staff who test positive and are asymptomatic can return to duty after two negative tests 24 hours apart. For non-vaccinated persons who test positive, the 2020 protocols remain in place, requiring a 10-day isolation.
If a team has to forfeit due to a covid outbreak among unvaccinated players, the team has to forfeit, cover the financial losses to the league AND players will not get paid.
So yeah, there’s a lot at stake if there is an outbreak among unvaccinated players.
So there 2 types of covids now, got it. Thank you Dr. NFL
How’s he going to infect the team if everyone else is vaccinated? Think about it.
He has his right to get the shot or not
Yep, and the Vikings have the right to send him packing. It’s quite simple.
So odd… after TradeRumors instituted a mute button I no longer have any comments in my comment section.
Hmm. Oh well.
quick, lets say ill things behind his back!
Too bad it’s not on the phone app.
Amazing how the right is incapable of communicating with another human being without having to insult them.
You may want to go back and read the comments. The very first comment is from one of your own. Typical Libby, throw out insults and blame the other side.
“Typical Libby, throw out insults…” Ironic comment, but thanks for proving my point.
I have read the vitriolic comments and there’s simply no winning with some of you. You fault the NFL for pushing a vaccine and you’d fault them if they didn’t. And *you* might want to go back and read the comments because the first comment was aimed at the coach, not another poster, unlike so many hateful comments from you and others “of your own”.
I’m not on “the right” as you say…. But think this whole communication problem is mostly limited to internet comment boards.
I talk to people with different views all the time and most of them are pretty reasonable in person. Easy to say things here that people wouldn’t dare say in person.. which is kind of pathetic.
And can we all please stop referring to people as “right” or “left”? Stupid political posturing trying to get people to blindly identify with one side or the other and we’re falling for it. Every has opinions that are some combination of the two to varying degrees. Think for yourself and don’t blindly follow one side.
Let’s just say, in my personal experience of years of being on these forums, the overwhelming majority of hateful, insulting comments come from people who clearly lean right. Maybe it’s just a coincidence.
Great comment by the way! Personally, I lean left on most things, but I do agree with the right on some things as well.
Listen, if anyone doesn’t want to take the vaccine, don’t take the vaccine.
But do understand that all of the people making you not want to take have taken it.
I’d wonder why all of the reasons they give to not take it didn’t stop them. I’d wonder why they were willing to risk my life to make some point, but not their own.
Unvaccinated people get covid. Vaccinated people get covid. Scary word. Global division. 100 comments above confirm this.
Except the vast, vast majority of those who are getting COVID are unvaccinated. It’s not a black and white issue.
If you want to put yourself at a much, much higher risk of getting COVID by not getting vaccinated, that’s your choice. But don’t act like vaccinated vs unvaccinated are at all similar.
We have a lot of individuals here who like to assume.
I mean I kinda understand a company wanting its people vaccinated, but this vaccine hasn’t even been FDA approved yet. I’m not saying it won’t be or that it’s unsafe, I’ve been vaccinated, but forcing someone to get a vaccine that isn’t FDA approved seems a bit premature. Maybe once the FDA approves it, people can be let go, but I think right now shouldn’t be when people lose their jobs over their choice to not get a vaccine.
So if you go to work tomorrow and get fired for not having the chickenpox vaccine, that’s cool suddenly?
The chickenpox vaccine to more than a few months to create…….get it?
They are expecting full FDA approval by the end of August. So they would wait until just before the season and fire him then. 🙂
Emergency use approval is still FDA approved…. Just without the mandatory waiting period of 12 months (or whatever it is) that they usually need for full approval.
If he is actually let go because if this then that’s pretty messed up. Some people may get/not get the vaccine due to political reasons but that’s not the case with every persons decision. If you don’t want to get something that isn’t even FDA approved shot into you then that’s your choice. If people want to get vaccinated, that’s their choice too. I’m okay with whatever their decision is and we shouldn’t punish people for either decision.
Except the coaches union, of which is he a part of, allows this. On top of that, his decision affects the personal safety of others. And finally, there’s a lot of money at stake considering the NFL’s new rules regarding COVID outbreaks and forfeits. Teams can’t afford to risk it.
He’s not being ‘punished’; he’s being told what the consequences of his actions will be and then he’s still deciding to make those actions. It’s entirely up to him.
I applaud Rick Dennison.
Seriously???? If you were smart and prefer to live than follow the cult of the orange haired Chetto Jesus former guy you’d get a vaccine. However if you’d prefer to die that’s your choice. Good luck
If 99 people out of 100 get the vaccine and 1 person doesn’t, why are those 99 people scared/concerned about the 1 person? The whole ideology of a vaccine is to protect against transmission from that 1 person. If this vaccine is so awesome as 90% of you claim it to be, why are you so scared of the 1 person?
Well if it was just one person that would be fine. But it’s not. It’s about 45% of the US population.
In that 45% the virus will still move, grow, mutate and potentially develop into a variant that the vaccine in my body doesn’t work against. And then we’re all back in lockdown again. That’s where the concern comes from.
I think the more important question is why 45% of people in the US are so scared of a needle that they would rather take their chances with a virus that is literally trying to kill them.
Most of the people I know who have refused the vaccine are not Trumpers. They are pretty progressive across the board. It’s not just one of group of people who are refusing it. That’s just a political statement that makes the vaccine easier to politicize, which seems to be the right thing to do in the country these days.
“Chetto (sic) Jesus” spoke favorably of getting the vaccine. I still won’t. That’s none of anyone’s business. They all have the vaccine. They shouldn’t be concerned.
Good! Someone this dumb and selfish should not have the responsibility of teaching or coaching young adults. Will have no sympathy for this idiot when he gets COVID and passes on. I guess “stupid is as stupid does”.
Should anyone have sympathy for you if you get a neurological disease or have a heart attack from the vax? It’s happening, buried by the press. The CDC website said today over 12K DEAD from the vax. Sympathy? You need to grow up.
Yeah that’s a bad take for sure.
I’m vaccinated. Think everyone should be and fully support him being let go if he doesn’t get vaccinated…. But never want to see anyone suffer. Even if it’s due to their own bad choices.
I’ve made some not great personal decisions in the past. Thankfully I’ve survived them so far.
If all the unvaccinated players/coaches walked out, the league would stop dead in it’s tracks.
No it wouldn’t. There are literally thousands of players and coaches that would happily step in.
Cue *The Replacements*
Keanu Reeves may actually be a better QB than what my Bears have run out there over the past 20 years.
The whole “it hasn’t been approved by the FDA” canard makes sense…if you only think about it for two seconds.
A typical FDA approval, yes, takes much longer.
But, it involves thousands or tens of thousands of people in it. The vaccines have been given to hundreds of millions of people.
The idea that clinical trials are better than the REAL WORLD trials we are doing now, which show plain as day that they work, is illogical. 99.8% of recent deaths are unvaccinated. The evidence is here.
The clinical trials allow medical observers to take concerted evaluations of effects on an isolated group of patients with known preexisting conditions. Real world trials are a spitballing contest in comparison. The people are random, doctors don’t know each other, and there are multiple providers of different products to be tested. What seems to be a pattern may be an uncommon result triggered by a preexisting condition. Random environmental factors could influence results. The doctor reporting the result may not be qualified. Most importantly, any minor or seemingly unrelated side effects in a portion of vaccinated consumers might go unnoticed if not directly tied to COVID symptoms themselves.
If you were conducting a trial on thirty subjects, and three of them developed coughs, you could isolate that and determine whether you think it’s vaccine related or a blip. After all, most of your patients didn’t get coughs. There’s really no way to tell until years later what any side effects may be, if there are any, and much more difficult to isolate them. This is especially true when you have different doctors or researchers across the country who don’t work together contributing information that may not even be relevant.
Trials are specialized to eliminate outside factors. That’s why we have them. Real world results are more like studying the disease all over again.
OK, well…if you want to be absolutely certain what caused the benign cough…and don’t mind dying in the interim waiting in the pursuit of that knowledge…
Different strokes.
I didn’t argue against the vaccine. I am noting the reasons that we run clinical trials in the first place. You’re bringing in a whole different argument. Ideally it would have been good to study our solution a bit longer, but it’s understandable why we did not. I am pointing out that it will be challenging to fully evaluate the full spectrum of relevant medical information in a drug without a controlled trial environment, whether we had the luxury of being able to do so or not. I wouldn’t say that “real world testing” is an advantage. It has the one plus of telling us how the majority of people would react to the most noticeable effects of the drug, but it’s hard to pinpoint specifics or isolate outliers. It may have been necessary, but it’s not ideal. The circumstances still exist, regardless of necessity.
Pretty impressive comment count here. My research shows a Kaepernick article on Feb 16 2019 drew 150 comments…but is that the record?
I think I saw one break 200 once (221 I believe), but oddly enough I cannot remember the subject. Maybe it was an Aaron Rodgers article after the draft? Or a Brady article after the Super Bowl? I can’t seem to recall anything but the number.