Q&A: A Mother-Son Duo in Clinical Trials for a Covid-19 Vaccine

Judy Stokes and Ian Haydon, who are mother and son, are both participating in different phases of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial. Haydon, a science communications manager at the University of Washington, is a phase 1 trial participant — which is the stage where the drug company is testing whether the vaccine is safe. Stokes, a health writer, is in the phase 3 stage of the trial, which means the company is studying whether their vaccine works.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview:

What advice do you two have for people who might consider participating in a clinical trial for a vaccine [or have questions about the vaccine]?

Haydon: I think there are some people who, at this point, are writing off the first coronavirus vaccine that comes out. I’ve actually heard from friends of mine who are themselves scientists who are themselves quite knowledgeable about the field, who’ve expressed similar doubts: That basically they would at least not be first in line for an approved vaccine. They’re the type who would want to wait and see how it goes for other people. And I understand that, especially in this moment when there does seem to be more and more political pressure put on the approval process for these coronavirus vaccines, and I think that is alarming. But I will say, speaking as someone in the phase 1 trial and as someone whose mom is in a phase 3, that these trials are happening very quickly, but they’re happening. They’re real trials. And we’re…