Skip to Content

Would you volunteer to get the coronavirus?

April 22, 2020

Update: This episode has ended.

In this episode of Radio Corona, Gideon Lichfield, editor in chief of MIT Technology Review, discussed volunteer initiatives that might accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine.

Joining him was Josh Morrison, executive director at Waitlist Zero and part of the team at 1 Day Sooner. Both organizations recruit volunteers to take part in the covid-19 vaccine trials, some of which—"challenge trials"—will involve deliberately being exposed to the virus to test if the vaccine has worked. Ian Haydon, a volunteer currently taking part in Moderna's vaccine trial (though not a challenge trial) also joined. He explained his decision for us a couple of weeks ago. Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center and the founding director of the Division of Medical Ethics, also talked to us about the ethical questions surrounding the trials.

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2020. You can watch it below.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.

And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.

How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets

When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.

The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.

Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.

It’s time to retire the term “user”

The proliferation of AI means we need a new word.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.