As the coronavirus continues to spread, government officials and medical staff have been working overtime to keep the public safe and informed. But it looks like one London medical research center is taking a unique approach to finding a cure.
According to the New York Post, Queen Mary BioEnterprises Innovation Centre in London is looking for 24 volunteers to inject with the coronavirus, and participate in a flu camp. Participants will be paid about $4,588 for their time, and are being referred to as “human guinea pigs.”
Their illness would not be in vain, however. Medical researchers are hosting volunteers in an attempt to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus, which has reportedly killed more than 3,8000 people across the globe.
The process looks something like this–volunteers will given a variety of tests before being selected as participants in the experiment. They will then be given two strains of the virus, which are expected to cause mild respiratory symptoms. They will then be treated with new or existing vaccines.
Doctors will analyze the patients’ responses to the vaccines, and use the results to help researchers focus on the most effective treatments. Participants are expected to be sick for the duration of the camp, and will be required to stay in quarantine for two weeks. They will also have to eat a restricted diet and avoid human contact and exercise.
The London-based company is just one of 20 working to find a vaccine that could reportedly be ready by next winter.
“Drugs companies can get a very good idea within a few months of starting a vaccine study whether it’s working or not, using such a small sample of people,” said Andrew Catchpole, chief scientist of the operation.
As of now, the company is waiting for approval from the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to being the process.
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