UK to conduct first Human Challenge Trials for COVID-19
Part of: GS Prelims and GS- II Health & GS – III – Biotechnology
In news
The UK is set to conduct the first COVID-19 human challenge trials (HCT) within a month from now.
Conducted by: UKgovernment’s Vaccines Taskforce, Imperial College London, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and the clinical company called hVIVO.
Key takeaways
The trial was first announced in October 2020.
In this study, over 90 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18-30 will be deliberately exposed to small amounts of the virus in controlled settings,
Objective: To test treatments and vaccines.
In this way, the participants are “challenged” by the virus.
This is not the same as standard vaccine clinical trials.
Significance: HCTs are able to give more precise information about the disease and its effects on humans, and also give results about the efficacy of vaccines on infected humans.
