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Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University are seeking residents of the Portland area to participate in Phase 3 trials of an investigational coronavirus vaccine, officials said Monday.
The university is the only institution in Oregon to participate in trials of this particular vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The trial is looking for up to 30,000 volunteers across the country.
“Oregon Health & Science University is proud to contribute to the most pressing challenge in the world today: identifying a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine for all,” said Dr. Danny Jacobs, President of OHSU , in a press release. “We are asking the people of the Portland area to volunteer for this trial and help bring us all one step closer to stopping this devastating pandemic.”
To participate, volunteers must have a stable medical condition or no medical condition and cannot be pregnant or have a previous diagnosis of COVID-19. Participants must live within a 90-minute drive of the OHSU campus in southwest Portland. Those who participate will be monitored for two years, officials said.
The university hopes to recruit a diverse cohort of participants, officials and the project’s principal investigator said., Dr Marcel Curlin held virtual meetings with community groups to explain the process and encourage participation.
Over the summer, the OHSU was forced to cancel an independent coronavirus study that hoped to enroll 100,000 Oregonians after too few minorities registered to participate.
Previous trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the UK showed a “robust” immune response and only mild to moderate side effects, which included headaches, fatigue and chills, according to a research article published in The Lancet. . Last week, the company was criticized for the way it presented data from some of its European trials, according to ABC News, after some results appeared to show a higher rate of effectiveness in participants who took a dose. weaker. A company spokesperson defended the trials, telling ABC News that they were “conducted to the highest standards.”
AstraZeneca’s investigational vaccine is one of three currently in late testing. On Monday, Moderna Inc., which is developing one of the other candidate vaccines, planned to ask U.S. and European regulators to authorize emergency use of its treatment to begin vaccinations as early as next month.
Officials have asked those interested in participating in the trial in the Portland area to visit the vaccine study’s website or call 800-VAC-STDY for more information.
– Kale Williams; [email protected]; 503-294-4048; @sfkale
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