First human trials for Canadian Ebola vaccine get underway in Halifax

The first-ever human trials of a Canadian-made Ebola vaccine have begun in Halifax.

John Stanford was one of the first to get injected with the test drug yesterday.

He told Global News there was a lot of prepping before he got the vaccine.

“A lot of examinations and tests and qualifications over the last few weeks,” he said. “And I had an injection today, and because of the placebos, you don’t know if you have one.”

The IWK has room for 40 participants, but they received almost quadruple that amount of people willing to test the vaccine.

About a quarter of them will be getting injected with a placebo.

Emily Sollows, 22, said her family was upset when they heard she was chosen for the trials, but researchers say they don’t expect any serious reactions to the drug.

“It’s new for the hospital and it’s new for the nurses,” she said. “Everyone’s new at it, and to me, it’s just great to be a part of that.”

Each participant will get about $1,100 at the end of the study.

The first results are expected in just over a month.

Today, the first round of injected participants are due at the IWK for a follow-up appointment.

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