Business

Jonathan Serrie

Atlanta, GA

10

comments

U.S. Begins Human Testing of H1N1 Vaccines

July 28, 2009 - 4:50 PM | by: Jonathan Serrie

Early next month, the U.S. will begin its first human trials of new vaccines against the H1N1 (swine flu) virus. In addition to evaluating safety and effectiveness, researchers are seeking to determine the proper dosage.

Dosage is a particular concern with H1N1 because the last major swine flu outbreak in the U.S. occurred in 1976 -- meaning an entire generation has grown up with no exposure to the disease.

"When a population has not seen a virus, the question becomes: If you give them a vaccine, is one dose enough?" said Sri Edupuganti, MD, an infectious disease physician with the Emory University School of Medicine.

Dr. Edupuganti serves on the staff of Emory's Hope Clinic, one of eight sites around the country selected to test H1N1 vaccines. She and other vaccination experts say it's likely Americans will require two separate shots to build up full immunity to the swine flu virus.

Because H1N1 differs from seasonal flu, medical experts say it's unlikely vaccines for each virus will offer any crossover protection. So, don't be surprised if you need three shots this fall.

Tags

Connie

Jonathan, thank you for reporting on this very important story. Could you find out if this H1N1 virus is the same one as the Hong Kong flu. I, unfortunately, had it in 1957 as a teenager. My grandmother and a great uncle died as a result of the 1918 flu.

July 30, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Reply

Kev FL

I would recieve the vaccination. I don't have 100% faith in science (prob a 98%) but I think that it is worth the risk.

July 29, 2009 at 5:02 AM
Reply

LIVESHOTS: Human Testing of H1N1 Vaccines Begins (Fox News) | H1N1 Alliance

[...] the original post: LIVESHOTS: Human Testing of H1N1 Vaccines Begins (Fox News) Share and [...]

July 29, 2009 at 1:50 AM
Reply

Donna

In 1976 as a member of the Navy at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station , Puerto Rico I was a part of human trials of Swine Flu Vaccine without my knowledge. All personel on the base were given the vaccine without telling us what it was. It was a mandatory shot. If you did not report to get the vaccine they sent MP's for you. The first shot made us all very ill, with flu like symptoms. Some time later we were given a secound shot. I do not remember getting sick from this. We were never told what this was about to this day. ( I can say I have never had the flu since, even though I have taken care of other people who were sick with it.) I learned of this when in college. I attended a lecture for one of my classes in which the guest speaker was an immunologist if I remember his title correctly. He was the person(Doctor/scientist)who had developed the vaccine. During his question and answer period after the lecture he revealed that human trials were often done on the military without their knowledge, and in fact they had used as at NSRR as their test subjects. If the CDC is worried about the correct dose maybe they should look up the data and personel that were experimented on and glean some good out of a bad situation. I wonder how many times the best of the best has been used for human trials on anything from flu vaccines to maybe AIDS vaccines...I understand they were planning human trials for that on our military! I saw that in a DAV or a VFW magazine a few years ago. Many people think that prisoners, especially on death row or something like that volunteer to be guinne pigs in exchange for a few considerations. According to this guy it just was not so. Instead we use the best we have, and endanger them beyond what they signed up for.

July 28, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Reply

ma david

I like the new look.

July 28, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Reply

Swine Flu in Idaho - (ID) - Page 22 - City-Data Forum

[...] news. So let me start here. U.S. clinical trials of H1N1 vaccines start next month! Yeah U.S. Begins Human Testing of H1N1 Vaccines

July 28, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Reply

PG

It'd be nice if Jonathan can provide the name of the vaccine and the stage of development it is in. Hopefully, the vaccine will be available for general use soon!

July 28, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Reply

Eric

Someone told me about a website: www.vacinfo.org , which does not have good things to say about childhood vaccinations. Can someone help me as to how these new flu vaccines fit into this thinking?

July 28, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Reply

Bree Hill

I have a helpful germ prevention tip to share, and no immunization is required! My daughter learned this great program at school called Germy Wormy Germ Smart. It teaches kids to understand how germs spread and how to NOT spread them. It was so much fun for her, and amazing how quickly the kids learned healthier hygiene habits! The website speaks for itself: www.germywormy.com

July 28, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Reply

THE MIND-READER

any one intending to take the flu shot will most likely have the H1N1 but nothing says it will work. base on my intel, the H1N1 will be very chronic when summer is over. the reason why the virus is mild it's due to the favorable climat, once Earth start to cool down and enter the phase of the winter solstice....more infections will be on the rise and also more death should be expected. But the fishy part is: Right when there is a health crisis there is a non curable virus....spreading directly where there is no health....sounds fishy but Americans cant see that...as they couldnt see that are screwed..

July 28, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Reply