Newswise — SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sanford Health is seeking participants to enroll in clinical trial testing a vaccine for the Ebola virus. The Merck-sponsored study will explore the vaccine’s ability to safely generate antibodies that could protect against future exposure to the virus.
The clinical trial, which is free, is open to adults age 18 to 65 who have not previously had Ebola or been in contact with someone who contracted the virus. Sanford is enrolling 30 total patients at sites in both Sioux Falls and Fargo to determine if the vaccine can trigger an immune response that might help guard against Ebola.
An Ebola outbreak occurred in West Africa last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola is a rare virus that attacks the immune system and organs and causes internal and external bleeding. The virus, which was discovered in 1976, is highly contagious, can be transmitted by bodily fluids and currently has no vaccine.
Trial participants are required to receive a single shot. Ninety percent will get the vaccine, and the remaining 10 percent will receive the placebo. To monitor the body’s immune response, all participants must complete three follow-up visits during the six-month study.
Enrollment is open in Fargo and Sioux Falls. For more information on how to participate, call (855) 305-5064.
About Sanford HealthSanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in the Dakotas. It is one of the largest health systems in the nation with 43 hospitals and nearly 250 clinics in nine states and three countries. Sanford Health’s 27,000 employees, including 1,400 physicians, make it the largest employer in the Dakotas. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford have allowed for several initiatives, including global children's clinics, genomic medicine and specialized centers researching cures for type 1 diabetes, breast cancer and other diseases. For more information, visit sanfordhealth.org.
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