Welcome to Hotel Influenza! St. Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development has converted a part of its on-campus hotel into a research hub to conduct a human challenge program to study the efficiencies of vaccines. The program invites volunteers to stay at Hotel Influenza, where they will be exposed to the flu virus.
In a detailed insight, Forbes reported that the program is offering $3,500 to cover each volunteer's travel and compensation expenses. The report further added, "The stay in hotel-style rooms are equipped with private bathrooms, televisions, the Internet, and common areas with comfy chairs. You also get catered meals in the dining room and kitchen area, access to exercise equipment, and nice views of the St. Louis Arch."
The aim of the program is to study on the effect of vaccines. Rather than conducting an extended research on people who may or may not have contracted with the virus in real life, the centre has decided to expose volunteers and then evaluate the response. The university firmly believes that such targeted experiments will help in developing a universal vaccine for such seasonal flu.
However, exposing to the germ doesn't mean that anyone who volunteers for the program gets it. The probability of catching the flu depends on whether the volunteer has been treated with a working vaccine or a placebo. And, if the guest falls ill, they will be treated to a 24-hour emergency medical service to avoid risk and discomfort. The duration of the program is twelve days and is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The university is planning to conduct its stay-in experiment at the extended facility by early next year. So far, researchers are planning to have 24 slots and a pilot study is expected to begin in next six months.
