Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine faculty members Dr. William Towner, Associate Professor of Clinical Science, and Dr. Jerry Cheng, Assistant Professor of Clinical Science are spearheading a pediatric clinical trial for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Based at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (LAMC), the KidCOVE study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 6 months to less than 12 years.
This is the second COVID-19 vaccine trial that Dr. Towner, site principal investigator for the Moderna pediatric study and physician director of clinical trials for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, has participated in. Dr. Towner was the principal investigator for the Pfizer-BioNTech trial for adults conducted at LAMC last summer. Dr. Cheng, chief of pediatrics at the LAMC, is co-investigator of the Moderna pediatric study.
“Although children seem to be at less risk from COVID-19 than adults, expanding the availability of safe and effective vaccines to younger populations is vital,” said Dr. Cheng.
