Ghent University looking for COVID-19 guinea pigs for vaccine trials
Ghent University is starting “phase 3” research on the effectiveness of prototype coronavirus vaccines. To this end the university is looking to recruit 2,000 human guinea pigs that will be injected with one of three vaccines that are currently in the development stage.
In the case of all three vaccines there is scientific evidence that they don’t have any serious side-effects. Those taking part in the tests won’t be told which of the three vaccines has been administered and what dosage they have been given. This method is crucial to enable scientists to identify the best vaccine.
Not everyone will be considered as a candidate to take part in the tests. However, in the previous phase of testing scientists have been able to exclude the greatest risks and side-effects that the vaccines might have had on humans.
Diversity and availability are crucial criteria in the recruitment of the 2,000 human guinea pigs. Ghent University is looking for people between the ages of 18 and 99 that live within a 25 kilometre radius of Ghent University Hospital.
Those taking part in the tests will be monitored for a year. Whenever one of them has a medical complaint that might point to a COVID infection they will have to report this to the research centre for a test or a home visit. Those taking part in the tests may not have already been infected with the novel coronavirus. Pregnant women are also excluded.
Those that wish to take part can click here (webpage only in Dutch)