As I write this, the world has reached a depressing milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic, by surpassing 3 million deaths. It is shocking to think how numb we have become to this astronomical number of lives lost over the past 12-18 months, especially as we consider the fear and panic that many people experienced as the first cases and deaths were reported in each of our respective countries just over a year ago.
A couple of months into the pandemic, I remember reading news articles reporting on the first experimental vaccines in development and was inspired to learn of the first brave volunteers to take these experimental shots. Soon after, I received an email through my University workplace seeking volunteers for a new COVID vaccine trial in the UK. My own research involves human trials and is entirely dependent upon the willing volunteers who selflessly sacrifice their own time and efforts to help advance human health. Therefore, as someone who is young and healthy and in scientific research myself, I almost felt a sense of responsibility to sign-up.
So, one morning in the height of the pandemic last year, I attended the vaccine trial clinic - a large library that had been converted into a clinical trial centre to conduct medical visits for thousands of volunteers over the coming months. There was an air of excitement in the building amongst the many volunteers, young and old, who were doing their bit for science and for the world, to combat the biggest global health challenge of our times.
After the long process of informed consent which involved lengthy forms to read and sign, extensive discussions with the trial doctors about medical history and understanding the trial risks and benefits, the process of getting the vaccine went by in a flash. We were monitored for 15 minutes afterwards to ensure that we had no acute reactions and then were free to go, after being provided with a date to return for our second dose 8 weeks later.
Of course, this is a trial, so we either received a vaccine or a placebo (salt water) and neither the nurses/doctors providing the jabs nor the volunteers know which one we received.
I was reassured to see the extent to which the study tracked both short and long-term side effects. We were provided with a thermometer to track body temperature 3 times a day, a heart rate monitor, oximeter to check blood oxygen saturation, a ruler to measure any swelling at the injection site, a mobile phone app to report symptoms every day and telephone appointments every couple of weeks to discuss any symptoms.
Science is often lamented for the slow pace at which it leads to medical discoveries, however I was witnessing first-hand the rigor and precision with which scientists were conducting the fastest vaccine development in history.
During this time, prior to the roll-out of vaccines, every conversation I had with colleagues, friends and family concluded that the pandemic would only end when “they” had found a successful vaccine. I have noticed that scientists are often deidentified in this way. Maybe through my own bias as a scientist myself, it appears that the recognition that scientists deserve for discoveries in medicine (and indeed every other field), is often lost through this common anonymised reference to when “they” discover something.
However, clinical trials volunteers are often forgotten entirely. The medicines and medical procedures that we all depend on today to live on average >80 years each, are completely dependent upon millions of volunteers who have sacrificed their time to be willing guinea-pigs. This has never been truer than during the current pandemic.
Billions of people around the world have waited months for vaccines which are finally starting to make a difference and turn the tide in the pandemic. Vaccines are the best weapon we have in fighting the pandemic. But these vaccines have only become possible because of the efforts that “they” (the scientists and volunteers) have made.
By Dr. Ruairi Robertson
You can find Ruairi on Twitter @ruairirobertson and Instagram @thenutridoctor