The CDC ranked Pennsylvania the highest in Lyme disease cases in 2020 making our area particularly prone to infection.
Pfizer is working on a Lyme disease vaccine and is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials which is the final phase before receiving FDA approval. The study aims to see if the vaccine is safe and effective in preventing Lyme disease in children and adults 5 years of age and older.
“We don’t have a current vaccine for Lyme’s disease, We have vaccines for dogs but not for people. We’re now testing a Lyme vaccine for people We’re looking to see if we could prove that the vaccine that we’re testing will prevent Lyme disease from developing compared to the people in the research program who are not getting the real vaccine. It is a placebo-controlled vaccine study to try to prove the people who do get the vaccine will have a less likelihood of having Lyme.”
This phase of the study started last year and will include approximately eighteen thousand volunteers. The study requires a several month commitment.
“We’re looking particularly for people that have exposure to ticks, People who live in this area, who live in the woods, who do outdoor activities, who get exposed to ticks. The study will have a series of vaccines. You get your vaccine initially then you get it two-to three months later, then several months after that. They’re envisioning that if this works out, we’ll get a yearly booster vaccine just like a flu shot.”
Lyme disease can cause serious long-term effects if left untreated.
“We live in an area which is basically a Lyme capital, So many people here are worried about Lyme or have had Lyme. If we can do something to reduce that risk for people, that’s a great thing that we can do.”
The vaccine trials will be accepting new participants in June. For information on how to participate contact the Altoona Center for Clinical Research.