Want to volunteer for a coronavirus vaccine trial? Things you should know

The coronavirus pandemic is testing the limits of human endurance as the race to create a vaccine intensifies globally. Numerous pharma companies and institutions, including Oxford are conducting their studies to synthesise the vaccine as the human toll piles up. The All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) also began its trials from Friday. 

With the studies entering human trial phase, a critical requirement is to select volunteers who are willing to participate. if you are thinking about constructively contributing to one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, you could consider volunteering for the coronavirus vaccine study. 

Here is everything you need to know about the trials and how you can participate:

What is the vaccine study? 

A vaccine study is conducted to study the effectiveness, side effects, and risks associated with a new formula and to assess whether it is capable of preventing people from developing such diseases in the future. The vaccine study spans for years and is meticulously undertaken by experts from the field. However, as the coronavirus rages, there has been a rush in finding the vaccination, which has fastened the trial period. The United States is already working on Operation Warp Speed that aims to deliver 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for Covid-19 by January 2021. 

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) doctor collects swab sample of police personnel for COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test at Navi Mumbai Police Headquarters

Apart from Oxford and AIIMS, PGIMS, SRM Medical College Hospital, and Research Centre are among some of the institutions in the human trial phase for the vaccine. 

How to apply to be a volunteer?

Any individual, who wishes to participate in the trial, can send in an email on Ctaiims.covid19@gmail.com or send an SMS or call on 7428847499. AIIMS Delhi is among the 12 institutes selected by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting phase I and II human trials of Covaxin. The age group for the volunteers is 18 to 55 years. Covaxin has been jointly developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL). The ongoing trial is a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with 375 volunteers and the company plans to enroll  1,125 for both phases I and II. The human clinical trial has also commenced at AIIMS Patna.  

Health workers wearing PPE kit check the temperature, blood oxygen screening of a child for COVID-19 symptoms at a residential building at Adarsh Nagar area of Malad, in Mumbai on Saturday.

Who should join a coronavirus vaccine study? 

Researchers want participants who are older and have underlying health conditions to participate because those people are more likely to become sick with Covid-19 thus providing better scope for developing an antidote to the virus. Pregnant women are also eligible to participate in coronavirus vaccine studies. The study being time-consuming, participants will have to visit the research site 10 to 12 times throughout the trial. 

Risks related to vaccine study?

Volunteers should be aware of the risks associated with the trials which will be ensured by the researchers. You will be given an informed consent form, which details all of the risks you could incur by participating. Participation is totally voluntary, and if anything on the informed consent doesn't feel comfortable for you, you can opt-out.