COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Reveals the Scale of a Global Race
The COVID-19 vaccine tracker developed by the Milken Institute and First Person offers an unprecedented look at how quickly the scientific community has mobilized to combat the pandemic. Available at covid-19vaccinetracker.org, this interactive web based platform translates months of complex research data into a clear, accessible narrative for both the public and the medical community.
From 38 Candidates to 161 in Under 3 Months
When FasterCures — a center of the Milken Institute — first launched its tracking effort, researchers had identified just 38 vaccine candidates globally. Within three months, that number grew to 161 vaccines in development, with 10 already in clinical trials. The COVID-19 vaccine tracker captures this acceleration in real time, giving users a dynamic view of where each candidate stands in the development pipeline.
The platform was built by First Person, a San Francisco based design and storytelling company, in collaboration with FasterCures. Their goal was not simply to display data, but to make the complexity of vaccine science understandable to a broad audience.
“Developing a safe vaccine that can be widely accessed is both necessary and extraordinarily complex,” said Esther Krofah, Executive Director at FasterCures. “We are thrilled that First Person has been able to bring our comprehensive vaccine tracker to life in a way that educates the public and gives the medical research community a new tool to better understand the race toward a COVID-19 vaccine.”
What the Interactive Platform Covers
The COVID-19 vaccine tracker walks users through several key areas of vaccine science and development, including an overview of all candidates currently in development, a historical timeline of how vaccines have been created and how they work, and a step by step breakdown of the path from early ideation through clinical trials to regulatory approval and widespread use.
“Our intent with this project was to answer the question of how long it would take to develop a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Drew Fiero, President and CEO of First Person. “The comprehensive, neutral, and consistently updated data from FasterCures allowed us to leverage our storytelling capabilities to do just that through a visually compelling, interactive experience.”
The platform is updated regularly, ensuring that researchers, sponsors, and the general public have access to the most current information available.
Why Clinical Trials Are Central to Vaccine Development
Behind every candidate listed in the COVID-19 vaccine tracker is a rigorous clinical research process. Vaccines must pass through multiple phases of testing before they can be approved for public use. Phase I trials evaluate safety and dosing in small groups. Phase II expands testing to assess immune response across a broader population. Phase III confirms efficacy and monitors for adverse effects at scale.
This process depends on research sites with the infrastructure, patient networks, and regulatory expertise to enroll participants efficiently and collect reliable data. FOMAT supports this mission across the United States, providing sponsors and CROs with access to experienced investigator teams capable of conducting infectious disease and vaccine trials across multiple phases.
As the COVID-19 vaccine tracker continues to reflect new candidates entering development and advancing through trials, the role of well equipped clinical research networks becomes increasingly critical. Speed, diversity, and scientific rigor must work together if a viable vaccine is to reach patients worldwide.
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