Can COVID speed up medical research at least a bit?

 

The vaccines went from phase 1 trial to approval in 1 year. Can at least some procedures be used in other fields of medicine?

 

1 hour ago, Hans de Vries said:

The vaccines went from phase 1 trial to approval in 1 year.

I don't know about elsewhere, but COVID vaccines are not approved in the US. They are being used under an emergency use authorization (EUA)

 

The issuance of an EUA is different than an FDA approval (licensure) of a vaccine, in that a vaccine available under an EUA is not approved. In determining whether to issue an EUA for a product, the FDA evaluates the available evidence to determine whether the product may be effective and also assesses any known or potential risks and any known or potential benefits. 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-additional-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-second-covid

Pretty much the same everywhere. Process is not faster, just the approval due to the emergency. It also means we have led data than for regular vaccines. What it did, however was focus more efforts into a single disease, which otherwise would have spread across different research questions.

Nature of true original science is NOT hasty. they just needed some vaccine to soothe the populace. Not exactly clear how successful this shall turn out to be. Let alone in other less attractive , less  "important"  fields . . .  .. .