El Paso Clinic Looking For Volunteers For COVID-19 Antibody Treatment Trial

El Paso is set to begin getting the COVID-19 vaccine sometime in the next couple of weeks but because of the limited number of vaccines, most of us won't be getting the vaccine until possibly next summer. There are other people who might not be candidates for the COVID vaccine because of underlying health issues. All that adds up to a lot more time passing before the general public in El Paso getting the vaccine.

A local clinic is part of a Phase III trial in an antibody treatment that could help fill in the gaps before you can get the vaccine or if you can't get the vaccine. El Paso Medical Research Institute needs volunteers for the new Covid-19 antibody treatment that is hoped could give protection from the virus for several months.

Volunteers will be needed beginning next week to get two, long-acting antibodies. The antibody treatment was developed by researchers at Vanderbilt University and El Paso Medical Research Institute officials say in addition to the antibodies, participants will be followed for a year to track the progress of their immune response. The good news is that even if you participate in this trial you can still get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available.

To be considered for the antibody treatment you have to be over the age of 18 and have not contracted Covid-19. If you would like to participate in this clinical trial, you can call El Paso Medical Research Institute at (915) 307-4669.