In a release Tuesday, Moderna said the FDA did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns with the vaccine. Instead, it said the FDA took issue with the “comparator” in its clinical trial — the vaccine the company used as a benchmark to evaluate its own shot.

The FDA said the use of the standard flu shot as a comparator “does not reflect the best-available standard of care.” The standard flu shot is FDA-approved.

Last year, Kennedy ordered that all new vaccines go through placebo-controlled clinical trials.

When vaccines are already available for a disease, it’s considered unethical to give clinical trial participants a placebo, rather than compare the new vaccine to the existing one. Giving a placebo would leave people who would be otherwise protected vulnerable to infection.

So glad we have someone competent leading the FDA. /s