Healthy Dunedin people aged between 50 to 65 have been slow to respond to the call to volunteer for a major flu vaccine trial.
At least 300 Dunedin volunteers were sought for the trial involving 7500 people in 23 centres in Australia and New Zealand, designed to assess the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.
Principal investigator for Dunedin Associate Prof Jim Reid said enough 18 to 49-year-olds had been found, but those in the 50-65 age group had been slow to respond in all areas where volunteers were sought. The reason for this was unknown.
He would like another 100 enrolments, but only in that age group. So far 6800 of the total number of volunteers have been found for the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories trial. In Dunedin, trial vaccinations have been held for the past month.
Two-thirds of those who take part will be given the standard flu vaccine and the rest a placebo.
The study is also designed to test the belief of some people that they get flu symptoms after receiving the vaccine.
To qualify as a participant, volunteers must be healthy and not have a condition which qualifies them for a free flu vaccination. They also must not have received a flu vaccination in the past six months. Those taking part are paid $300.
Prof Reid said anybody aged between 50 and 65 who was interested in participating should contact the Caversham Medical Centre for information.
