After months of working to come up with a vaccine against the deadly H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, a potential new vaccine is now being tested in Cincinnati.
The first Tri-State volunteers received their initial shots of the new vaccine Monday at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Like the normal yearly flu vaccine, the swine flu vaccine needs to be refrigerated until it is injected.
Researchers say even though they have to complete safety studies before the vaccine can be released, they feel it is very safe because it's based on the traditional flu vaccine many people have received for years.
Dr. Robert Frenck, Jr. at Children's Hospital says, "We feel this vaccine is completely safe. It uses the same manufacturing process and ingredients that the yearly flu vaccine has successfully and safely used. That's why we're anticipating few safety problems with the vaccine."
Children's Hospital is one of nine hospitals nationwide testing the new vaccine. Tri-State researchers estimate they will need about 80 to 100 local residents willing to test the new vaccine to complete the study.
Nationwide, as many as 800 to 1,000 people will be involved in testing. The results are scheduled to be released to the public in late October or November, ahead of the typical fall/winter flu season.
Many of the test volunteers did not want to be photographed or interviewed on television. Some said they didn't want family or friends to know they had volunteered for the vaccine.
One of the men who applied for the study but was rejected was willing to talk with 9News. He says even though he doesn't usually get the fall flu vaccine, he wanted to help test the new one to protect his teenage children from getting sick. He says that being slightly overweight may have led to his rejection as a vaccine test subject.
If the tests prove the vaccine is generally safe, as doctors expect it will, then in two to three weeks testing will begin on children up to 18 years old.
In the meantime, if you want to find out more about volunteering to help test this new H1N1 vaccine, click on the related links or call (513) 636-7699.
