Staff from the University of Nottingham have played a key role in leading the distribution of the approved Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to members of the public across the UK this week.
The regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reviewed the data collected by researchers, including those based at the University of Nottingham Health Service.
560 participants from across the East Midlands came to Cripps Health Centre at the University of Nottingham and have played a crucial role in the study, which led to the vaccine being authorised for widespread use.
Development of the vaccine was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), as part of the joint rapid research response.
Delivery of the vaccine trial - including recruitment and vaccination of volunteers - was supported by the NIHR's 15 Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs), which extend across all areas of England. Working closely alongside the local NHS, CRN East Midlands played a key role in helping local people across the region to take part in this key study.
Professor David Turner from the University of Nottingham, and Honorary Consultant in Clinical Microbiology at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, is lead researcher on the vaccine in Nottingham, he said: "This vaccine is of huge importance in the fight against Covid-19 and thanks to the collective efforts of colleagues across Nottingham, we have contributed to the national effort in bringing the vaccine to this stage.
"In very challenging times we have not only carried out a very urgent clinical trial but we have worked together to recruit volunteers from across the region to take part in this key study."
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Office for England and co-lead of the National Institute for Health Research, said: "It is very good news that the independent regulator has now authorised for use the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. There has been a considerable collective effort that has brought us to this point. The dedication and hard work of scientists, regulators and those who funded the research, such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) and United Kingdom Vaccine Network (UKVN), and the willingness and selflessness of so many volunteers who took part in the vaccine trials were essential in delivering this safe and effective vaccine. They deserve our recognition and thanks."
Professor Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and Chief Investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial, said: "The regulator's assessment that this is a safe and effective vaccine is a landmark moment, and an endorsement of the huge effort from a devoted international team of researchers and our dedicated trial participants.
"Though this is just the beginning, we will start to get ahead of the pandemic, protect health and economies when the vulnerable are vaccinated everywhere, as many as possible as soon as possible."
Dr Simon Royal, site investigator at the University of Nottingham Health Service and Primary Care Clinical Specialty Lead for NIHR CRN East Midlands said:
We are incredibly grateful to all the participants who have made this announcement possible and our colleagues at the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospital NHS trust. As an NIHR CRN East Midland Primary Care Research Leadership site we have also benefitted immensely from their support allowing us to deliver this complex study to time and target in very challenging times."
