Medicago participants find themselves in a Quebec COVID-19 vaccine grey zone
Isabelle Pelletier wanted to be a good citizen, protect her mother, and help Quebec gain a modicum of vaccine independence when she signed up to be a participant in the development of the Medicago COVID-19 vaccine.
Now, it seems, she finds herself in the vaccine passport grey zone, as Medicago is not one of the four approved vaccines that the passport app will accept.
"I consider myself vaccinated," she told CTV News. "There are blind spots in the vaccine passport."
Pelletier received her first shot in December 2020, before Quebec had begun its mass vaccination rollout.
"At that point, we had no idea when we would have any access to vaccine," she said.
Pelletier's mother was in treatment for breast cancer, and she wanted to be sure she could help.
"I thought I would give a better protection for my mother to accompany her on her treatments, so I joined the research in phase II," she said.
She received a second shot in 2021, and did follow-ups in person where blood samples were taken, kept a digital diary and received regular phone call check-ins where researchers asked various health questions.
The follow-ups continue today.
As half the participants received a placebo and half the vaccine, Medicago authorized participants to request which group they were in.
Pelletier received a written confirmation that she had received two vaccine doses.
She opted not to receive the passport-approved Pfizer, Moderna, Astra-Zeneca or Johnson and Johnson vaccines, as she did not want to jeopardize Medicago’s research.
"I think it's worthwhile to consider exceptions to allow people to function at a minimum level in Quebec while we're waiting for the research to be completed," she said. "If I withdraw from the research to receive two doses of a recognized vaccine I have an ethical dilemma."
By withdrawing, Pelletier feels she will be slowing down the possibility that Quebec develops a vaccine as she is in Phase 3 of the study.
"It'll mean that I'll have received four doses of vaccine within the same year, and that's never been documented," she said. "I want to also give the time to Medicago to finish Phase 3 and receive an approval from Health Canada...Ethically it poses a problem for me because, as a citizen, I'm playing a role in participating in the research."
Medicago said participants should not be disadvantaged when having to prove they were vaccinated.
"Medicago is actively working with the Quebec government to find a solution for trial participants," said Medicago medical officer Dr. Brian Ward.
Medicago said Phase 3 should be completed by the fall, and the company will then submit the data to health authorities.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube said Friday that Medicago needs all the support it can get and that the government is looking at making an exception for the around 300 Quebecers that are in the study.
"It`s not a lot of people if we need to make some arrangements," said Dube. "We are looking at this right now. We've been able to make a lot of arrangements in last 18 months, so I just want to assure them we're trying to find something for them."
Executive vice-president for scientific and medical affairs for Medicago Nathalie Landry said in May the vaccine appears to produce 10 times the antibodies as are seen in people who have had COVID-19.
"Based on these results, let's say we're quietly confident that we will be in a position to demonstrate good efficacy of the vaccine," said Landry at the time.
Pelletier, like many Quebecers, wants greater medical independence in the province and hopes a solution can be found.
"I think it's a worthwhile cause, and I find myself in a grey zone as far as the vaccine passport is concerned," she said.
-- This is a developing story and will be updated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.