Mobile vaccine trial to focus on underserved communities

Kansas City-area hospitals such as Children's Mercy, the University of Kansas Medical Center and Truman Medical Center are using a new tool to help attract more people to the AstraZeneca trial.

THE VIRUS.ONE OF THE VACCINETRIALS IS HAPPENING INTHE METRO...AS 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGEXPLAINS -- AREAHOSPITALS ARE USING ANEW TOOL TO HELPATTRACT MORE PEOPLETO THE TRIAL.IT'S LIKE A DOCTOR'SOFFICE ON WHEELSTHIS MOBILE UNIT WILL GOTO UNDERSERVED AREASTO ATTRACT THOSEIMPACTED BY THE COVID-19-SUCH AS AFRICANAMERICANS-THE LATIN XAND THE OLDERPOPULATIONS.Dr. Mario Castro, pulmonologistatUniversity of Kansas MedicalCenter"We have to be out there inthe community and we needto reach out to them, we can'tjust expect them to come tohospitals and feel safe.

Weneed to be out in thecommunity to enroll them andto reach out to them and amobile unit establishes that."THIS IS A PARTNERSHIPBETWEEN CHILDREN'SMERCY HOSPITAL AND THEUNIVERSITY OF KANSASHEALTH SYSTEMASTHEY WORK ON THEASTRAZENECA VACCINETRIAL.Dr. Barbara Pahud-PediatricInfectious Diseases atChildren'sMercy Hospital.We are not driven by thespeed that either politics orthe public may want.

We allwant a vaccine as quickly aspossible but we will only beable to release it when we feelcomfortable that it's safe andeffective.WHILE THIS MOBILE UNITWILL BE FOR THIS SPECIFICASTRAZENECATRIALDOCTORS AREHOPEFUL ON THEPROMISING SIGNS OF AVIABLE VACCINE IN THENEAR FUTURE.Dr. Mark Steele, Chief ClinicalOfficerfor Truman Medical Center'sUniversity HealthThere's no question that weare excited about the potentialof a viable vaccine but it'sgoing to be a while before wecan get a significant portion ofthe population vaccinated tohave some real impact.ON THURSDAY-INJEFFERSON CITY--AREPRESENTATIVE FORPFIZERANOTHERVACCINE CANDIDATEWHICH SHOWED A 90-PERCENT EFFECTIVENESSRATE IN PATIENTS...TALKEDABOUT ITS VACCINE ANDWHAT'S NEXT.DR. Christine Smith, Pfizer,Chesterfield Site LeaderWe are preparing thenecessary manufacturing datato submit to the FDA todemonstrate the safety andquality of the vaccine productproduced.

If all those data aresound, the company expectsto seek an emergency useapproval from the FDA anthen could start distributingthe vaccine by the end of theyear.IT'S A PROMISINGTREND...THAT DOCTORSSAY HELPS ALLTRAILS...GET A VIABLEVACCINE TO HOSPITALS.Dr. Mario Castro, pulmonologistatUniversity of Kansas MedicalCenterWe're hoping that this willreally be the start of manydifferent vaccines that will beavailable to us down the road.REPORTING IN LEE'SSUMMITNICK STARLING41 ACTION NEWS