Cool, I would definitely join if it wasn't US only :(
Even though I'm 'high risk' I'm not that worried about the virus myself, and I feel some higher risk than normal actions are necessary to protect people and to go back to our normal world ASAP.
Also, I assume it's good to have some not perfectly healthy individuals in the mix as they would probably be more likely to experience side-effects.
It does say they will expand their reach beyond the US though so that might be good news.
There are studies underway in other countries (e.g. Germany or the UK) as well, and they are also looking for volunteers (though often not as openly). Where are you located?
Note: The studies currently being run here are regular Phase 3 trials, not challenge trials, so you don't have to be young or perfectly healthy to sign up.
Also, for any trial, they fully explain everything and you can leave at any time. Just signing up doesn't commit you to actually getting vaccinated if you change your mind later.
Not sure about these two points conflicting. You will not be infected but if you do we will help you get care.
Volunteers will not be exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus as part of the study. These are studies of preventive vaccines that we hope will keep people healthy.
If you become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and become ill with COVID-19, the study staff will work with you to make sure you get the care that you need.
They mean if you get it in the real world, they will be working with your doctors because they will want to run tests to determine why the vaccine didn't prevent the infection. As a side benefit, you might get slightly more attention and better care.
> they will want to run tests to determine why the vaccine didn't prevent the infection.
The answer to which could be as simple as "they were given the placebo"
Presumably if you're uninsured, they get you medical insurance. Testing drugs on uninsured people then leaving them untreated if they get ill during the study would be a bit cold, even for the american medical industry.
I think the idea is, if you take the vaccine, and either it doesn't work, or before it works, you contract COVID-19 separately, they will help treat you.
Makes sense. It wouldn't really be ethical to do so with an unproven vaccine (and it was proven, this trial wouldn't be necessary).
If they do the trial in large enough numbers, many participants will get exposes in their normal lives anyway. I assume they will target hotspot areas.
This is the first time I hear about these folks so I'm not sure about how good this study is but AFAIK Moderna, from the US just like this study, were starting phase 3 tests with their medicine already. The more the better I guess? Here in Brazil as of early this month Sinovac (from China) started accepting health workers volunteers for their 9000 people phase 3 tests across the country. Just today, as you know, Oxford announced promising results too but in fact they had been already testing people with their vaccine in phase 3 tests last month here (5000 people from multiple covid epicenters). I would really love to know when we could expect to have minimal first results. Everybody got really happy with the results of phase 2 and all but I suppose the first data for phase 3 will be decisive whether we can build up REAL expectations or not. Somehow, sometimes, it also feels these folks are all racing for a Nobel prize more than anything else.
From this page, it sounds like they are mostly looking for people who are likely to encounter the virus, and are in high risk groups:
("For some of the antibody studies, you will not need to reach out to a site because the study staff will come to the nursing home or assisted living facility."):
I'm very locked down, so interesting I volunteered for a challenge study but not this one (as I am unlikely to catch covid so a bad fit). The ideal group here are people at high risk of getting it.
Readit News
[1] https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-launches-c...
I'm not in the US but it says they might expand soon so I may just register anyway (I'm sure they ask where you live).
Dead Comment
Even though I'm 'high risk' I'm not that worried about the virus myself, and I feel some higher risk than normal actions are necessary to protect people and to go back to our normal world ASAP.
Also, I assume it's good to have some not perfectly healthy individuals in the mix as they would probably be more likely to experience side-effects.
It does say they will expand their reach beyond the US though so that might be good news.
https://youtu.be/2I2PjLna4C0 .
Volunteers will not be exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus as part of the study. These are studies of preventive vaccines that we hope will keep people healthy.
If you become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and become ill with COVID-19, the study staff will work with you to make sure you get the care that you need.
The answer to which could be as simple as "they were given the placebo"
Presumably if you're uninsured, they get you medical insurance. Testing drugs on uninsured people then leaving them untreated if they get ill during the study would be a bit cold, even for the american medical industry.
If they do the trial in large enough numbers, many participants will get exposes in their normal lives anyway. I assume they will target hotspot areas.
[1]https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/research/...
https://mobile.twitter.com/thesundaytimes/status/12695146159...
("For some of the antibody studies, you will not need to reach out to a site because the study staff will come to the nursing home or assisted living facility."):
https://www.coronaviruspreventionnetwork.org/what-to-expect-...