In an exclusive interview with ABC7 Chicago, UIC’s lead researcher for the Chicago arm of the national trial says that this morning’s first volunteers would receive the vaccine as a placebo, administered by university researchers. This critical step is underway here, even as researchers are looking for more volunteers to participate in the national study which aims to enroll 30,000 participants.
“We are very excited. It has been a while since everything is ready and getting the approvals in place,” said Dr. Richard Novak, Head of UIC for Infectious Diseases.
UI Health chief physician discusses Moderna vaccine trial
The pace of fax research has accelerated across the country, in part through the Trump Administration’s “Operation Warp Speed.” Several other potential faxes are also being tested.
Only a few volunteers are scheduled to be “enrolled” and receive their injection today in Chicago, but Novak said the university plans to ramp up to 20-40 a day in the coming weeks.
UIC will lead the study in Chicago and enroll up to 1,000 people, half will receive the vaccine and the other half will receive a placebo. About 500 people will receive the vaccine, which will be administered as a series of two shots over the course of four weeks. The other half of the participants will receive a placebo.
The volunteers are screened to make sure they do not have the virus and will then be placed in either the study group that will receive the trial vaccine or the control group that will receive a placebo. Neither the researchers nor the participants will know who will receive the vaccine. All participants will be trained to keep an electronic diary to document their activities as well as any possible symptoms.
“We will have two UIC locations and a site at the University of Chicago,” Novak said.
Even if the trial begins here in Chicago, UIC researchers are looking for more of the right type of volunteers for the study – those who are at greater risk of being exposed to the virus.
That includes racial and ethnic minorities, people living in multigenerational households, those over 65 and people in higher-risk occupations, including factory and warehouse workers, frontline workers and health care professionals, Novak said. The researcher emphasized that the study is safe for participants, whether they receive the vaccine or the placebo, and encouraged those interested to contact the university.
“We need people who, if they are in the community, are exposed more often,” Novak said. “What we need to see to measure is whether or not this vaccine protects them.”
The researchers will follow the participants for two years, though Novak said early test results may be available sooner – as early as December, he said, although it is not guaranteed.
The UIC program started later than expected and clinical trials have already begun on other sites in the country that are part of the effort led by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health.
The Moderna vaccine candidate is an RNA-based vaccine designed to help the body produce antibodies that protect against COVID-19.
People interested in volunteering for the trial can apply through the UIC online register, which includes a two-part survey, as the national registry. People can also call UIC researchers at 312-355-0656 with questions.
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