They had done safety and effectiveness testing before deployment back then. These are retrospective studies using a real large dosing and placebo population.

The closest to “untested drug matter” that existed was the antibody cocktail that might have kept Trump alive.

They did all the normal steps in the US. It was faster because they had the full attention of the FDA (so zero admin delays), and they did some parts in parallel, risking wasting money if things did not work out.

The mRNA approach already had years of work prior to COVID, and was already reviewed for safety.

You do what you have to do when people are dying in droves due to a pandemic and morgues are running out of room.

They did zero trials before those billions of doses! None! Straight from the lab into your veins!

/S