FLORIDA — The FDA is set to meet about COVID-19 vaccines Thursday, which could ensure we see one being used to inoculate Americans within the next couple of weeks.

But some physicians are worried misinformation about potential vaccines could persuade people not to get them when they are distributed.

“There are many questions in my patients’ minds, in people’s minds,” said Central Florida Physician Dr. Aftab Khan. 

He says he’s gotten a lot of questions from his patients about whether the development of COVID-19 vaccines was rushed, or whether they’ll be safe to take.

“They want to know: Are these vaccines safe? Are they effective? Do they have any side effects?” Khan said. 

He’s concerned that many people are also spreading misinformation about the vaccines or making getting one a political matter.

He described one such experience he’d had recently with a patient.

“She said, ‘No, I’m not gonna get this vaccine.’ I said, ‘Why?’" Kahn said. "‘Because Dr. Fauci is a Democrat.’ I said, ‘My dear, it’s not a Democrat or Republican thing, you should listen to your doctor.’”  

He said it’s concerning to hear people say things like this because the majority of the population needs to get the vaccine in order to get life back on track.

“So, if we want our economy to be back, if we want our neighbors to be safe, if we want our family to be safe, our grandparents to be safe, then we need to get out and get these vaccines,” Kahn said. 

The American Medical Association shares Khan’s concerns.

“Vaccine hesitancy was at an all time high before the pandemic began and unfortunately has just gotten worse,” said AMA President Dr. Susan Bailey. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration meets Thursday to discuss Pfizer’s vaccine.

And if the vaccine gets the green light, vaccinations could begin in a matter of days.

That’s why Bailey said it’s more important now than ever to make sure people have the facts about the vaccine.

“They need to really believe in the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine,” she said. 

That’s why they’ve come out with a new policy aimed at helping physicians combat misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Including resources for doctors like webinars updating them on the status of the FDA’s approval of the vaccine.

“The AMA has been working very hard with the FDA and the CDC to make sure that all of the information … is made available to physicians so that we can judge the science,” Bailey said. 

Khan said that as he’s been sharing good data and science with his patients, he’s seeing more and more of them deciding to take the vaccine when it arrives.  

He hopes other physicians will do the same.

“If you present them an honest data and scientific, you know, results, I think we will have a great success in telling patients to get vaccinated,” Khan said.