COVID-19 Vaccine Study

COVID-19 Vaccine Study Update:

This week Pfizer expanded the age criteria for the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trial to include 16 and 17 year olds, which is a first step toward having COVID-19 vaccines available for the pediatric population.  Worldwide, over 35000 adult subjects have been enrolled in this trial and over 140 have been enrolled at LSU Health Shreveport. As this important study moves forward, we are asking for your assistance with recruitment.  If there are healthy 16 and 17 year old patients who are interested in possible participation in the study, please direct them to COVIDvaccineStudy@lsuhsc.edu or complete the online survey at:     https://redcap.lsuhscs.edu/surveys/ using access code LHAKDXYPH.  Additionally, recruitment of adult Hispanic and African-American subjects is critically important to the success of the study.   As of Monday, September 28, we will no longer enroll Caucasian subjects in the trial except for those less than age 18.  If you know of non-Caucasian adults who may be interested in the study, they can respond to the same email or online survey above.

Interested in participating?

COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Survey.

LSU Health Shreveport is expanding enrollment in the Pfizer-sponsored COVID-19 vaccine study through October 1st to include individuals ages 16-18 and those older than 85 years of age.  Those interested in participating in this important vaccine trial should sign up as quickly as possible.  

LSU Health Shreveport began the Pfizer sponsored vaccine trial on September 3 and has been very successful in enrolling participants.  The trial will further expand in October allowing individuals ages 12-15 to participate.

This clinical trial is one of 145 studies in the United States.  It is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of an mRNA vaccine to prevent illness due to the SARS-CoV2 virus.   The vaccine will be administered by injection. Further details of the study can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov.  LSU Health Shreveport discoveries were licensed earlier this year by global biopharma firm BioNTech and serve as a key building block of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine currently in Phase 2/3 safety and efficacy clinical study.

John Vanchiere MD, PhD, Professor of Infectious Disease and Pediatrics and an NIH funded researcher is serving as the principal investigator for this important clinical trial. 

Adults 18-85 years old who are not pregnant, in good general health and have not been previously diagnosed with COVID-19 can participate in the study, once approved by the principal investigator. An assessment on each individual’s risk for contracting COVID-19 includes understanding one’s type of work, lifestyle and all medical conditions. 

All those interested in being a part of this vaccine trial should promptly complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Survey. 

Currently, there are three approved vaccines available to prevent COVID-19. 

LSU Health Shreveport is pleased to continue our impact on the COVID-19 pandemic by serving as a site for this Pfizer-sponsored vaccine trial. Having our discoveries play a key role in the availability of this worldwide vaccine trial is yet another example of the strength of our research faculty.