How long does it take for a vaccine to be tested and approved for use in Canada?

Question: 

How long does it take for a vaccine to be tested and approved for use in Canada? 

Answer: 
It can take up to ten years or longer for a vaccine to be developed, tested, and approved for use by Health Canada. Occasionally, the process can be expedited (happen more quickly) if there is an urgent need for a vaccine (for example, during a pandemic). No safety steps are skipped in these cases, and the vaccine still has to meet all the same safety requirements. An example is COVID-19 vaccines. 
 
  • Vaccines are among the most strictly regulated medical products in Canada. 
  • All vaccines go through an in-depth testing process and must be shown to be safe and effective before they are approved for use in Canada. 
  • This process goes through several phases in order to gather all the scientific information necessary to ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. 
  • Once a vaccine has been approved for use, and for as long as the vaccine is used, its safety is continuously monitored. 
  • Canada has one of the best vaccine safety programs in the world.
 
Date last reviewed: 
Thursday, May 05, 2022