How Clinical Research can Help Find a Vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Clinical research plays an important role in the health care industry to address issues regarding illnesses and disabilities. It is during clinical research that answers about a drug’s safety and effectiveness for humans are discovered.

Above all, clinical research plays a major role in the discovery and development of medications and treatments for degenerative and chronic diseases including RSV or Respiratory Syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) Virus.

Diseases like RSV negatively affect millions of families across the globe. Each year in the United States, there are an estimated 58,000 children under 5 years old that are hospitalized due to RSV and 64 million people worldwide.

Diseases like this take immense physical, mental, and financial tolls on patients and their families. For example, in 2017 alone, the United States has an estimated cost of $5.45 billion RSV-related infections.

For years, scientists have been working to develop an RSV vaccine. Despite a series of challenges brought by COVID19, scientists soldier on and some RSV vaccines are making their way through clinical trials.

Based on the early stage of Phase I and II trials, data is suggesting that RSV vaccines are safe and effective.

What’s New in the Vaccine Search for Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Even before the COVID19 outbreak, the global need for an RSV vaccine was clear and urgent. So far, the trials to come up with a successful RSV vaccine has been recording positive responses in younger and older adults.

If the promising trials continue, the medical world is looking forward to gaining approval for a vaccine. NICR is currently participating in a vaccine trial for RSV to aid in the race for effective prevention.  In hopes, RSV is going to be a preventable disease in the coming years.

What is Respiratory Syncytial Virus?

RSV is a respiratory virus that can be dangerous for infants, children, and older adults. The virus causes mild to severe cold-like symptoms and is the most common bronchiolitis and pneumonia among children under 1-year-old in the United States.

Early symptoms of RSV include:

  • runny nose
  • cough and could progress to whizzing
  • decrease in appetite
  • decreased activity, appetite, irritability, and apnea are commonly observed in infants 6 months below

So, extra care should be taken if you have contact with infants who are premature, have a weakened immune system, or have chronic heart and lung disease.

Why Clinical Research is Important

Clinical research is important to determine the safety and effectiveness of medications. Researching the prevention, treatment, and analysis of different diseases can help alleviate or eradicate symptoms. Likewise, without research and trials, many vaccines and methods of treatment we have today would not be accessible.

In conclusion, clinical research is an opportunity to learn about regulatory specifications, the use of medical data, and evaluation processes. Educating the public on clinical research is an important step of the race for the cure of any disease. So, to learn more about Phase I trials and what NICR is all about, click here!


The National Institute of Clinical Research is an SMO/CRO with offices and labs in the following cities and states: New Jersey, North Carolina, Austin, San Diego, San Francisco, Bakersfield 93309, Fountain Valley 92708, Garden Grove 92840, Hacienda Heights 91745, Huntington Beach 92648, Las Vegas 89106, Long Beach 90806, Los Angeles 90048, Ontario 91762, Rosemead 91770, San Antonio 78207, Santa Ana 92704, Upland 91786, and Westminster 92683.