As the race to find a cure for Coronavirus continues, MUSC Health joins researches through a vaccine trial. Because one of MUSC’s potential vaccines has shown promising signs fighting the virus, they were selected as part of a Phase III trial. 

In order for a vaccine to become safe and ready for mass manufacturing, it must first go through the three phases. Beginning with one, this phase is administered on small groups and geared toward the safety of the patients. They then collect data on the response to the vaccine. Phase two is typically administered on hundreds of people while fine-tuning the specific amount of regimen necessary. Phase three involves thousands of people while focusing on how it reacts to an entire population. Once all three have been successfully completed, the vaccine is on its way to becoming FDA approved. 

At MUSC, emergency medicine physician Gary Headden, M.D., states that “the science behind [the vaccine] looks good, so I’d say I’m optimistic.”

In order to attract interested participants, MUSC is planning a webpage launch that will officially open the trial to new applicants. They’re seeking several hundred. Some patients within the trial will receive a placebo while others will receive the vaccine. Patients will remain overseen for a grand total of two years.