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UC San Diego researchers are collaborating with El Centro Regional Medical Center in Imperial Valley, which has been hard-hit by the pandemic, to create a subsite of the trial.
UC San Diego Health will be part of a second, massive clinical trial to assess the safety, efficiency and immunogenicity of a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.
Like the Moderna clinical trial, which launched in July, the Phase IIII national AstraZeneca will recruit up to 30,000 participants at multiple sites across the country. The trial arm at UC San Diego will involve an estimated 1,600 participants, with particular outreach for underserved communities.
“The virus has dealt a devastating blow to both the medical and financial well-being of our region,” said Chris Tomaszewski, Chief Medical Officer at ECRMC. “A successful vaccine trial, our target is more than 1,000 participants, will give hope as we stop the spread of this disease in such a vulnerable community.”
A medical research study is a medical study that helps to answer important questions about an investigational vaccine to see if it works if it’s safe or has side effects.
There is currently no approved vaccine for COVID-19. In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to receive two injections of either the investigational vaccine or placebo.
A placebo looks like the investigational vaccine but contains no active vaccine. There is twice as much chance of receiving the investigational vaccine than receiving the placebo.
Those eligible for this trial are people 18 or older, are in good stable health. People with underlying medical conditions and still take part if the disease is stable. People that have tested for COVID-19 in the past will not be allowed to take part in this trial. Participants have to be residents of Imperial Valley.
The study is scheduled to last for two years, with seven scheduled study visits to monitor participants and their well-being. Participants will be asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, shortness of breath, cough, headache, and loss of taste. Participants are asked to contact the study coordinators if they develop symptoms.
The clinical trials will begin this week. Anyone interested in being part of this trial can call 760-339-4085 or visit the page www.covidvaccineIV.com
