COVID-19 human challenge trials could speed up vaccine development

Program Title: People First Radio: Life During and After COVID-19
Description: It’s currently uncertain how many people COVID-19 will affect worldwide and at what speed its impacts will be felt. Possible outcomes are shaped by interventions like social distancing, the capacity of health systems, potential drug treatments, and many other factors. A vaccine may come after the infection has peaked or once effective pharmaceutical treatments have blunted COVID-19’s impact. But it’s clear that COVID-19 will continue to alter daily life until an effective vaccine is fully deployed.

That’s the view from a team of experts working together on a project called 1 Day Sooner. The group is advocating for what are called “human challenge trials” — a way to speed up vaccine development. Human challenge trials deliberately expose participants to infection, in order to study diseases and test vaccines or treatments. These types of trials have been used for influenza, malaria, typhoid, dengue fever, and cholera. You can find out more about the project and sign up as a potential human challenge trial participant at the project website.

Host(s): Kevin Midbo
Featured Speakers/Guests: 27-year-old Conor Barnes, from Kelowna, British Columbia, has signed up with 1 Day Sooner. He’s also been interviewed by CTV News and other news outlets about the project and why he’s willing to participate. Conor appeared on People First Radio and shared his thoughts.

Credits: People First Radio

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