First in the world: UK approved “human challenge test” for COVID-19

UK approved “human challenge test” for COVID-19 and healthy volunteers will be exposed to the virus. 

The British government issued a statement on February 17 stating that the country has approved a human test of the COVID-19 virus, and 90 adult volunteers will be exposed to the COVID-19virus environment. As a result, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to approve the human challenge trial of the new coronavirus.

According to a statement issued on the British government website on the 17th, the British clinical trial ethics agency has approved the launch of the new coronavirus human challenge test, and the trial will start within one month. By then, 90 adult volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30 will be exposed to the new coronavirus in a safe and controllable environment to help researchers understand the human body’s response to the virus, how the virus spreads, and the minimum number of viruses needed to cause infection . The UK hopes to accelerate the understanding of the COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 treatment methods through this trial.

This human trial is jointly implemented by Imperial College London, the British Government Vaccine Task Force, and the clinical trial research company hVIVO. Volunteers are required to undergo health risk testing before they are allowed to participate in the trial. They will be quarantined for 17 days. Experts and The medical staff will monitor them closely and follow up for more than 12 months.

According to the “Guardian” report on the 17th, volunteers participating in the human challenge test of the COVID-19 virus are not paid, but will receive a compensation of about 4,500 pounds. After the British government announced the approval of the trial, 18-year-old British teenager Alastair Fraser-Ucter immediately signed up. He said that of course there will be concerns because there are unknown risks, but he can accept these risks and has the support of his family. He hopes that this trial will have a lasting impact, enabling people to develop vaccines earlier in future epidemics.

“Washington Post” reported on the 17th that infecting healthy people with a potentially fatal virus is controversial even in a controlled environment. At present, the COVID-19 vaccination has been promoted in the UK, and some people question whether this human challenge test is necessary. Clive Dix, head of the British Vaccine Working Group, said: “The UK has obtained some safe and effective vaccines, but it is vital that we continue to develop new vaccines and treatments against the new coronavirus.

(source:internet, reference only)

Disclaimer of medicaltrend.org