Due to the several outbreaks in places like South America and Brazil, researches have started to request volunteers to be injected with a potentially successful vaccine for the Zika virus.
Since Zika’s first outbreak in Brazil was just in 2015, it's been less than a year since researchers began searching for a vaccine for the Zika virus, and it seems that a decent amount of progress has been made. Although the virus originally appeared to be benign, it was soon discovered that it may cause birth defects in babies, such as microcephaly. This is a condition in which the baby’s head is significantly smaller, which often leads to intellectual disability, vision problems, speech delay, seizures, feeding problems and other serious issues. Babies who are born with microcephaly can experience many of these problems, depending on how severe their condition is. Not only is microcephaly a possibility, but other defects with the brain and other organs are possible as well.
Because of the fact that there have been over 6,400 cases of the Zika virus in the United States and its territories, researchers in the country are conducting clinical studies, which involves research using human volunteers in order to gain more medical knowledge. Before the human challenge study could begin, safety testing had to be done on two volunteers. Prior this, scientists have successfully tested on animals. If a vaccine appears promising, it will then be tested on people living in Latin America and other areas that are mostly affected by the virus. There are currently around 80 volunteers at three different study sites, including the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute for Global Health in Baltimore, and Emory University in Atlanta.
“They say, how can we take these experiments from animals and transfer it to a human population? Usually they’ll ask volunteers to work on the trial. They’ll see what kind of side effects human beings have, and hopefully there won’t be any. Occasionally there are physiological differences, something different with the human,” NHS biology teacher Darryl Nicholson said.
Scientists at another site, NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center (VRC) made the most progress by producing an investigational vaccine, to be tested soon.The VRC’s purpose is to conduct translational, basic, and clinical research. Besides Zika, the VRC also targets Ebola, HIV, etc. Over 6,000 volunteers have enrolled since 2001, allowing the program to successfully fight against serious infections, viruses, and diseases. The human challenge study, as conducted by the center, will only be available to nonpregnant and healthy volunteers. The investigational vaccine will be given to such participants, and then researchers will track how their bodies react.
“I think that it’s good that scientists are learning more about Zika, because of the really bad birth defects that can happen. If a clinical trial will help them find a vaccine, then I think it’s really needed, but I don’t know if I would be willing to volunteer if I had the chance,” NHS freshman Alysha Wedler said.
Despite the fact that the human challenge study is supposed to be helpful and safe for the participants, there is some controversy surrounding it. Since the vaccine contains proteins relating to Zika, it can result in the participants becoming symptomatic, causing some people to believe that the study isn’t ethical. Others disagree, citing it as the most efficient way to gather information on the virus.
“If the volunteer knows all the risks associated with the trial and are willing to participate, my personal opinion is that it’s ethical,” NHS nurse Karen Powell said.
The first phase of the clinical trial, which is called VRC 319, is led by the chief of the VRC clinical trials program, Julie E. Ledgerwood. There will be four study groups, each with 20 randomly selected volunteers. Each of the volunteers will receive a vaccination through a needle-free injector, which injects the vaccine fluid into the arm muscle. After the participants are given the drug, they will receive a diary, in which they will record their daily body temperatures and any symptoms relating to Zika. During all follow-up visits, blood samples will be collected, so that researchers can evaluate the volunteers’ immune systems.
“A safe and effective vaccine to prevent Zika virus infection and the devastating birth effect it causes is a public health imperative. We are pleased that we are now able to proceed with this initial study in people. Although it will take some time before a vaccine against Zika is currently available, the launch of this study is an important step forward. ” NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. said to National Institutes of Health.
Although there are varying opinions revolving around the clinical trial, researchers are convinced that it will provide much needed information, which will assist them while producing a vaccine.
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