Case study: Friends bring HARMONIE to each other - David’s story

David from Bromsgrove heard about the HARMONIE trial of a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), from a family friend and is now spreading the word about it to his wider friendship group.

“We opted on to the trial with our youngest daughter as when her older sister was much younger, she was regularly ill with various chest infections and in fact was hospitalised with bronchiolitis around her first birthday," he said.

The process was very straightforward, we had one visit to the GP surgery for the vaccine with zero side effects and now she just doesn’t seem to get poorly with respiratory illnesses like her sister, despite attending a childminder and being exposed to all the usual illnesses that her sister brings home from school. It has been such a success that we haven’t reported any respiratory illnesses to the study team when they‘ve followed up with us.

“We have been telling all our friends to get involved and absolutely would consider taking part in any future trials if offered the chance.”

The UK is the first country in the world to offer a national vaccination programme that uses the same vaccine to protect both infants and older adults from RSV.

David, of Bromsgrove, added: “I am absolutely delighted it is being made available to this younger age group - things have to be trialled or we would never make progress.”

Anyone interested in finding studies to take part in, can register at www.bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk.

ENDS

For further information contact:  Claire Hall, Communications Lead on 07775 800227 or email claireanne.hall@nihr.ac.uk