Corona vaccine in Brinkum: “This is a very exciting project”

Brinkum – In the laboratory of the iInternal medical practice group from Torsten Drescher and Lars Pohlmeier in Brinkum is an important refrigerator. Until recently it included that Vaccine BNT162b2 – the drug from the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Biontech, which is seen as a hope in the fight against the Coronavirus applies and must be cooled down to over 70 degrees below zero. On behalf of Pfizer, the Brinkum practice in the worldwide clinical study on the vaccine part.

That choice on Torsten Drescher and Lars Pohlmeier has fallen is no accident. “We belong to a network of 20 practices in Germany that have a lot of experience in this field,” says Torsten Drescher. He himself has been involved in such projects for more than 20 years. He is not allowed to give examples from his obligation to secrecy. “If you want to do clinical research, the doctors have to have the appropriate qualifications and the medical staff have to acquire certificates on a regular basis,” adds Torsten Drescher added. The World Medical Organization determines what such research should look like.

Nevertheless, he first had to “take a deep breath” after the request. “This is a very exciting project. It was immediately clear to me that we had to work through this with great concentration. ” Corona be a big challenge. The Virus came to stay. “We can only get it under control if a vaccine there is. We are happy to be able to participate as a practice in order to close this gap and to introduce a Vaccine to be able to make an important contribution. “

Corona vaccine in Brinkum only for half of the participants

The two doctors selected 100 of their patients for the study. They injected it into one half vaccine, the other one Placebo, and twice within three weeks. “This procedure is with this one vaccine most effective, ”says Torsten Drescher. Which subject is the bearer of hope BNT162b2 the two doctors themselves do not know. Loud Torsten Drescher the participants were between 18 and 80 years old, the majority between 50 and 70 years old. “We know our patients and can assess who we will include in a scientific program,” explains the general practitioner. “We also thought of those patients for whom Corona represents a great danger. “

Torsten Drescher speaks of a disease with “different facets”. He reports that in the meantime children at the age of six or seven have become “subject to resuscitation”. “We don’t know many of the facets yet. We are in the process of familiarizing ourselves with a better understanding of the disease. It’s not just an infectious disease, it also changes our social life to a considerable extent. “

Vaccine against Corona in Brinkum: Doctors get support from Oldenburg

With the administration of the drug is the active one Impfphase completed. However, further rounds and visits by the test subjects follow in order to evaluate the results. That demands both of the participants and of the Doctors and employees. In the first week, for example, the patients had to provide information about their well-being every day. For the Vaccinations the practice was partly open on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. “A lot runs in the background. Since it is an internet-based study, we have to answer emails in the shortest possible time. And everyday practice has to continue. That is only possible with a motivated team ”, says Torsten Drescher. “We work because of Corona At the limit anyway. “

getting support Torsten Drescher and Lars Pohlmeier from the Oldenburger Doctor Matthias Luttermann as lead investigator of the study. An independent organization, a so-called Clinical Research Organization, is involved in the evaluation. She is responsible for quality assurance and acts as a contact between the practice and the pharmaceutical company.

Corona: Almost 45,000 people have been vaccinated worldwide so far

Worldwide became loud Torsten Drescher So far, almost 45,000 people have been vaccinated, serious side effects have not yet occurred. “Basically, that’s a good sign. It looks like it is well tolerated. ”This is also confirmed by the previous courses of his patients. In some cases there was swelling and redness at the injection site, sometimes tiredness and fever. With symptoms similar to those of a Covid-19 infection similar – such as fever, cough, shortness of breath – the test subjects would have to present themselves to the practice immediately. Acute problems have not yet occurred, says Torsten Drescher. “But we have to wait and see what happens.”

Regardless of the introduction of the Vaccine he expects the project to run for another two years. “It is still unclear whether that vaccine is enough for a lifetime or you have to be vaccinated annually ”, explains Torsten Drescher. “We are at the beginning of a completely new vaccination situation.” For him it is an “important moment in my professional life”.

Headline list image: © Andreas Hapke