Ari VanderWalde, MD, MPH, Bioeth, West Cancer Center and Research Institute’s Director of Research, stands behind the safety and highly regulated protocols for participants in clinical trials. Dr. VanderWalde recognized the importance and urgency to create a safe and effective vaccine to combat COVID-19. “I had a 50% chance of getting the vaccine and 50% chance of getting the placebo. The side effects were minimal or non-existent, but intimately knowing how clinical trials are carefully managed, I was eager to participate in a solution,” stated Dr. VanderWalde.
As our name states, research is key to advancing treatment options for cancer, and patients who participate in clinical trials have early access to promising new therapies. Dr. VanderWalde said, “Just like all the providers at West Cancer Center & Research Institute, we understand the significance and safety measures regulated by the FDA for any clinical trial. Developing the COVID-19 vaccine was held to the same rigorous standards and today we are one step closer to ending this pandemic.”