• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

STATE WIRE: SUPPORT GROWS FOR ‘HUMAN CHALLENGE’ TRIALS FOR COVID-19 CURE

Written by LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM Posted May 24, 2020 Filed Under: COVID, News, News to Us

coronavirus vaccine

“It makes my life quite a bit better to be doing this than what I was doing before, of just like sitting in my apartment in Brooklyn, not having a lot of work to do.”


At least three possible COVID-19 vaccines, including from Cambridge biotech firm Moderna, have seen promising results in phase one trials. And some experts think infecting volunteers with the virus that causes COVID-19 may be worthwhile to speed vaccine development.

They believe so-called “human challenge trials” on a small number of young, healthy participants could partially replace a later phase of vaccine trials.

Dr. Zeb Jamrozik is a bioethicist at Monash University in Australia and member of the World Health Organization’s working group on human challenge studies in COVID-19. He thinks if no current vaccine candidate passes a phase three trial in the next six to 12 months, this approach could be considered.

“If we don’t have one that’s been shown to be efficacious, then I think it’s extremely likely that challenge studies are going to be on the table,” Jamrozik said in an interview. “And that they might even be the best way to test the remaining candidates as efficiently as possible.”

But human challenge trials are controversial—infecting participants in this case with the new coronavirus, which has limited treatments and can be fatal. Still, 35 members of Congress—including Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton (D – Salem) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D – Boston)—support the idea for COVID-19.

A new nonprofit known as “1 Day Sooner” has quickly signed up close to 25,000 people willing to participate in human challenge trials for a COVID-19 vaccine. The group’s founder, attorney Josh Morrison, says many might think of him and other volunteers as selfless—but he disagrees.

“It makes my life quite a bit better to be doing this than what I was doing before, of just like sitting in my apartment in Brooklyn, not having a lot of work to do,” Morrison said. “Feeling just miserable and scared, especially for my parents’ health. Trying to be part of the solution, that’s made my life a lot better.”

Morrison explained that, for young, healthy volunteers, the risk is comparable to donating a kidney—something he did close to a decade ago. He thinks if it shaves months off the COVID-19 vaccine trials, the risk would be worth it.

Beyond the ethical considerations and regulatory approvals, cost is another big barrier. Jamrozik says this type of research can only be conducted at a small number of bio-secure facilities, and volunteers need to be isolated and under observation for months.

“There’s significant set-up costs that are larger than a phase three field trial, in the sense that you need to build a strain,” Jamrozik said.

In other words, they must also create a dose of the coronavirus to infect the volunteers with, which isn’t cheap. However, if it ends up helping shorten the time to market, Jamrozik says it could save time and money.

LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM

Laura is a national producer for Public News Service. Before that, she was the news director at WRFI in Ithaca, NY, and prior to that worked as a print journalist in Israel. She has covered basically everything: technology, local government, health, social issues, peace and justice, cultural topics, etc. Her pieces have been published in the Atlantic, Business Insider, NPR News, NPR member station WSKG, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Next Web, the Jerusalem Post, Mic (formerly known as PolicyMic), the Times of Israel, Geektime, AlterNet, the Oakland Tribune, Walla! News, and the Jewish Exponent.

Related posts
  • LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM
    https://digboston.com/author/laura-rosbrow-telem/
    STATE WIRE: MASS COMPANY ANALYZES WASTEWATER FOR EARLY COVID DETECTION
  • LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM
    https://digboston.com/author/laura-rosbrow-telem/
    Election Night results Massachusetts
    STATE WIRE: HERE’S WHAT EXPERTS SAY WE CAN EXPECT AFTER ELECTION DAY
  • LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM
    https://digboston.com/author/laura-rosbrow-telem/
    STATE WIRE: ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS SAY, 'PUT THE RAKES AWAY'
  • LAURA ROSBROW-TELEM
    https://digboston.com/author/laura-rosbrow-telem/
    mail in ballot Massachusetts
    STATE WIRE: MASS VOTERS CAN REQUEST MAIL-IN BALLOTS ONLINE

Filed Under: COVID, News, News to Us Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID, news, news to us

WHAT’S NEW

State Wire: Wraparound Services Spotlighted For Community Action Month

State Wire: Wraparound Services Spotlighted For Community Action Month

Diabetes Researcher Claims She Was Unlawfully Denied Entry To US

Diabetes Researcher Claims She Was Unlawfully Denied Entry To US

Inbox: "Reformers Vow To Press For Changes In the Massachusetts Democratic Party"

Inbox: “Reformers Vow To Press For Changes In the Massachusetts Democratic Party”

MA Lawmakers, Advocates Say Steps Needed To Tackle Ghost Guns

MA Lawmakers, Advocates Say Steps Needed To Tackle Ghost Guns

"Spotted Lanternfly, back_2017-06-16-16.50" by Sam Droege is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0

Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Alert!

Morale Violation: Whistle-Blowers Report Culture Of “Retaliation,” “Nepotism” At Parole Agency

Morale Violation: Whistle-Blowers Report Culture Of “Retaliation,” “Nepotism” At Parole Agency

Primary Sidebar

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • Morale Violation: Whistle-Blowers Report Culture Of “Retaliation,” “Nepotism” At Parole Agency
  • We Turned the North End Restaurant Lawsuit Against Mayor Wu Into a Musical
  • Do You Want To Work For the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission?
  • Inbox: Red Bull Cliff Diving Returns To Boston Waterfront
  • How Long Can Major Cannabis Cultivators Sustain Massive Indoor Grows In Mass?

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 24.08 – 04/21/22

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]