evidence: Messenger RNA, or mRNA, was discovered in the early 1960s; research into how mRNA could be delivered into cells was developed in the 1970s. So, why did it take until the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 for the first mRNA vaccine to be brought to market? [...] Thanks to decades of research and innovation, mRNA vaccine technology was ready. With COVID, this technology got its moment and has proven to be extremely safe and effective. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is the first mRNA product to achieve full FDA approval in the U.S. [...] RELATED CONTENT - How to Update an mRNA Vaccine - For mRNA Vaccines, COVID-19 is Just the Beginning - The New Technology Behind COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines and What This Means for Future Outbreaks