I am participating in a coronavirus vaccine trial. Prism Health North Texas is a research center for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The AstraZeneca vaccine I took (if I got the actual vaccine and not a placebo) is an adenovirus-based vaccine. Drug manufacturers have been working with that virus for vaccines for decades. Humans don’t get sick from adenovirus, but chimps do. It gives them a cold. A gene from the COVID-19 virus is spliced into the adenovirus, which a human recognizes as something to fight. That triggers the body to produce antibodies to coronavirus, that is if the vaccine works as expected. So, no, you’re not injected with the coronavirus or anything that can cause the coronavirus disease.
Prism is looking for additional participants in the study, especially people over the age of 65 and those with diabetes.
The vaccination appointment took about an hour and a half. That included a thorough explanation of the vaccine trial followed by a brief medical exam, a coronavirus test and a blood draw before getting the vaccine.
Two out of three people receiving a shot will get the actual vaccine, the other third will receive a placebo. It’s a blind study so the researchers at Prism don’t know which you’re receiving. But OUCH, I’m pretty sure I got the real thing. I got a flu shot a few weeks ago and I felt nothing. This one — nothing during the injection and then WHOA a few minutes later. That pain went away and then my arm was just sore the rest of the day.
The first results for this vaccine were released a week ago. At some doses, it was only about 64 percent effective but at smaller doses was 90 percent effective. Part of this trial may be to learn what is the most effective dose. Local investigators have no idea. A computer chooses what you’ve received. Another thing that may be studied is what effect the vaccine has on those who still contract the virus. Early studies show this vaccine may be more effective in lessening symptoms that other vaccines further along in the process.
I’ll get a second dose 29 days after my first. Then there’s a series of followups with blood draws for two years. Researchers need to learn whether the coronavirus vaccine will be annual, like a flu shot, or if a person continues to produce antibodies. They’ll also be checking on any side effects.
PHNTX is seeking 250 of the 30,000 required participants across the study, especially:
• Those with underlying medical conditions
• Those with greater risk of exposure at their jobs
• Those living or working in elder-care facilities, jails or prisons
• Those over the age of 65 (participants must be 18 years or older)
• Those in racial or ethnic groups that have been impacted in greater numbers such as African Americans, Latinx and Native Americans
Those selected for the study will be compensated for their time and will receive a stipend for each visit they complete. Visits will be held at Prism’s Oak Cliff Health Center at 219 Sunset Avenue, Suite 116 and in a new satellite office in east Dallas at 4004 Worth Street.
Those interested in participating in the study may visit phntx.org/services/clinical-research and complete the contact form or email the Research Department directly at research@phntx.org. They will then be contacted by phone to discuss study participation and eligibility criteria.
— David Taffet
