UK Study To Infect Volunteers With COVID To Speed Vaccine Development

The UK is conducting a human challenge trial to test COVID-19 vaccines by deliberately infecting volunteers. This trial, led by Imperial College London, involves 90 healthy participants aged 18-30. Volunteers will be isolated in a biosecure facility and monitored by medical professionals. The UK government is funding this potentially groundbreaking research, which could yield faster results than conventional trials. Despite ethical concerns, proponents argue the trial is necessary to accelerate vaccine development and understand the virus better. The study aims to compare vaccines directly to determine their effectiveness.

What financial support is the UK government providing for the trials?

What potential benefits do researchers believe the trials could yield?