The intense pains, aches, and sensations that come about with having the flu can be difficult. These feelings prompt many people to get flu vaccinations every year to significantly reduce their chances of developing the flu.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is looking for people to be intentionally infected with the flu. The work is part of a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health in the hope of finding points on how well the flu develops.
How the Test Works
The research project in New York will entail healthy people who agree to the study being infected with the flu. The H1N1 strain of the influenza A virus will be injected in the person's body. The test will be conducted to identify what happens to the patient's body when the virus enters. The body's ability to control the infection will also be noted.
The test will be conducted in four sites. The University of Maryland School of Medicine is the lead body that is studying the virus. The Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development will also participate, as well the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Duke University.
Each patient will require a week-long inpatient stay at a hospital. The flu virus will be administered through a nasal spray.
The general trial will take about four months to complete and will entail many reviews surrounding the body's response to the flu and what happens after the virus leaves the body. A patient can be paid up to $3,310 for completing the study.
The NIH has posted information on the test on clinicaltrials.gov. The website provides information on the rules for the test and what people can expect in the work. Details on who is eligible to participate in the study will also be included in the review process.
The form of the flu that will be administered is a mild to a moderate version of the virus. The intention is to produce enough of a response without the patient potentially being negatively impacted by the virus. This includes ensuring no life-threatening effects will come about in the study.
Reviewing How Well the Flu Works
The goal of the flu test is to identify how well the flu operates. There may be a potential to develop a more efficient flu vaccine in the future, thus protecting more people in the future.
Although people six months of age or greater are encouraged to get a flu vaccination before October ends, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that flu deaths have been significant in recent times. It is estimated that from October 2018 to May 2019, at least 35,000 people in the United States died from flu-related issues.
The goal is to ensure that all people who receive a flu vaccination are protected well and that they will not be at risk of possible harm from the virus. The issues involved with the flu virus can be dramatic to anyone, but the potential for the flu to be controlled in some way is a positive point that deserves note.
