AdventHealth discusses COVID-19 vaccine trial

60,000 could take part in study

ORLANDO, Fla. – AdventHealth is conducting a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine by Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

AdventHealth’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Steven Smith, said the company plans on having up to 60,000 people take part in the study.

During a briefing on Thursday, News 6 asked how effective the vaccine will be once it becomes available.

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“This vaccine will have the data to say, ‘Yes, it’s safe and effective' (in the) first quarter (of 2021) and then probably full approval, if everything goes right, somewhere around June,’” Smith said.

Pfizer, meanwhile, announced this week that it’s coronavirus vaccine is more than 90% effective and could get approval by the FDA within the next week.

“We need to make sure that the vaccines are safe, we need to make sure they are effective, and we need to make sure they work for everyone,” Smith said.

On Wednesday, biotech company Moderna announced it had finished collecting data for the first analysis of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Though no vaccines have gained global approval yet, Smith said they have plans in place for a possible distribution.

“We have multiple teams working on that. We finished out the plan for that. We have a plan and it’s in place and we are moving to execution,” he said.

If you’re interested in participating in AdventHealth’s vaccine trial, you can find if you’re qualified by visiting this site.


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