COVID-19 Ensemble Vaccine Study

The purpose of the ENSEMBLE clinical research study is to determine the safety and efficacy (whether it works) of an investigational vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19.

Research has shown that certain diseases and medications may impact people differently based on their age, gender, and ethnicity. In many countries, COVID-19 has disproportionally impacted both older people and minority populations. Therefore, clinical research studies often require large and diverse numbers of volunteers to participate in a single study, sometimes thousands are needed to obtain reliable information. Large numbers of participants help ensure that medications and vaccines are generally safe and work for various types of people, especially those most impacted by the disease or illness.

Researchers are highlighting the need for volunteers from across the UK to continue to join the fight against coronavirus. In particular the NHS COVID-19 registry needs volunteers who are most vulnerable to the effects of coronavirus, including frontline health and social care workers and people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.

Dr Rajeka Lazarus, a consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology at UHBW and Principal Investigator for vaccine studies in the West of England said:

“Vaccines are the most effective way of controlling COVID-19, and the announcement of this latest vaccine study in the West of England is another step towards finding a safe and effective solution for the virus.

While the progress being made is positive, we need to ensure that all possible options are investigated so we can find a vaccine, or combination of vaccines, that provide long-lasting safe protection for everyone.

To help us make sure that the vaccines developed will work for everyone, we need people from all backgrounds to volunteer to take part in the vaccine trials.”

Involving many thousands of people, phase 3 studies give researchers insights into the effects of a vaccine on a much larger population than phase 1 and 2 studies.