Human challenge studies - clinical trials in which a participant is intentionally infected with an illness to test the efficacy of prevention or treatment - are a study design that has been used for decades, but that came to national attention in 2020 when they were proposed as a faster way to test COVID vaccines and therapies. 

Of course, the intentional infection of research participants brings some ethical controversy, even if the studies can be significantly smaller and shorter. 

Noted bioethicist Dr. Art Caplan will discuss of the design and the major ethical issues inherent in challenge studies and will lead a conversation with two recent challenge study participants - including one who notoriously (and hilariously) live-tweeted the week-long experience of being infected with shigella in a preventative vaccine study. 

Join us for this provocative and interesting discussion!