Conducting clinical trials of vaccines during epidemics and pandemics is subject to ethical concerns. For diseases with high mortality rates like Ebola, assigning individuals to a placebo or control group can be viewed as a death sentence. In response to ethical concerns regarding clinical research during epidemics, the National Academy of Medicine authored a report identifying seven ethical and scientific considerations. These considerations are:
* Scientific value
* Social value
* Respect for persons
* Community engagement
* Concern for participant welfare and interests
* A balance towards benefit over risks
* Post-trial access to tested therapies that had been withheld during the trial