Volunteers sought for study of pill to prevent COVID-19 in people exposed to virus
Researchers in Bradenton are seeking volunteers for a clinical trial to evaluate a pill to prevent COVID-19 in people who don’t have the virus, but have been exposed to it.
The ideal candidate is one who lives in the same residence with someone who has the virus. Candidates must be at least 18 years old, have not had COVID-19, have no symptoms of the disease, and have a healthy immune system.
Volunteers must have had exposure to the virus no more than 72 hours before entering the study.
To date, Manatee County has recorded 881 COVID-related deaths, including 31 in the last week, according to information provided by the Centers for Disease Control.
Some of those in the Merck study will receive a 200 milligram pill, while others will receive a placebo that looks identical but has no medicinal properties.
Participants won’t know whether they are receiving the Molnupiravir (MK-4482) pill or a placebo in the multi-center, randomized double-blind study.
Merck is recruiting volunteers in at least 32 communities across the United States for the study, Bradenton being one of them.
Participants will take a pill twice a day for five days, said Dr. Patrick Weston of Synergy Healthcare of Bradenton.
Synergy would be in close contact with participants during the study to learn whether they are experiencing any adverse symptoms, and to help guide them in seeking appropriate medical care if necessary, Weston said.
Social distancing and quarantining, if possible, during the study are recommended as some participants will received the placebo and have no protection against the virus, Weston said.
The pill has the advantage of being taken orally rather than intravenously like some other treatments, Weston said.
To enroll in the study, visit https://merckcovidresearch.com/move-ahead/ or call Synergy Healthcare at 941-896-4948.
Synergy will take a brief clinical history from volunteers over the phone, and then invite those who seem to meet the requirements for the study to their office to collect more detailed information, Weston said.
For more information about the study, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04939428?term=molnupiravir&draw=2&rank=3.
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 1:00 PM.
