Local councilmember participates in Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials
CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Councilmember Ashley Vanorny is giving anyone who is curious, insight what it's like to participate in the trials to find a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vanorny works in health care administration.
But she's currently a research participant with the University of Iowa Healthcare and Clinics' Pfizer vaccine trails.
She said Wednesday she has participated in a handful different trials over the last several years.
"I mean there are risks but it's necessary risks. Someone has to do this," Vanorny said.
She received her first dose on August 6th.
"On a pain scale, I didn't have any more than a four-out-of-ten," Vanorny explained. "It didn't disrupt anything I did that day. I didn't feel great.."
Then came the derecho.
She was supposed to submit a daily log to the hospital. But the internet was down.
The problem is if people don't track their experience, then doctors can't track adverse affects.
"Just an incredible amount of gratitude goes to the University of Iowa research department," Vanorny shared. "They are exceptional at what they do and which is why I am a huge fan of theirs and an on-going research participant."
Her second dose was about a month later.
Vanorny said people should have optimism in Pfizer's study of 90% efficiency that was released Monday.
She said she thinks distribution will be an issue through the end of 2021.
"You have to take the population of the world, times two vaccines, and then schedule that you also have to work out with payers, how that will be reimbursed, how you will, who will administer it, how you will prioritize people," She said.
Iowa's News Now asked if she thinks she got the real dose or the placebo. She said she's a few months away from knowing the for-sure answer.
"I can say though independently I had a sibling sign up for this in Texas. In our teasing of one another I'm pretty sure they got saline and I got the vaccine. There's an on-going bet between us," Vanorny said with a smile.
Looking ahead, Ashley said her next appointment for the trials is in January.
That appointment is for more blood draws.
This is the same as her previous appointment back in September.
There is not timetable for completion. She said until her doctors say her participation is complete, she knows the trial is on-going.
