The UK could be the first country in the world to carry out Covid ” challenge trials ” – where healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with coronavirus to test possible vaccines.
It is understood the studies – first reported by the Financial Times – would be conducted in London.
The UK government said it was holding discussions about developing a vaccine through such “human challenge studies”.
No contracts have yet been signed, the BBC understands.
Out of the pandemic’
Alastair Fraser-Urquhart, an 18-year old university student, is planning on volunteering for the trial if it is given the green light to go ahead. He helps run the advocacy group, 1Day Sooner.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I think the challenge trial has the potential to save thousands of lives and really bring the world out of the pandemic sooner. It is just something that made instant sense to me.”
Speaking on the same programme, Prof Peter Horby of Oxford University, said he thought the trial was a good idea that had the real potential to advance science and get a better understanding of the disease.
He said: “We now know the risk in a healthy young adult with no underlying conditions is extremely low.
“We suspected this before, but we really did not have the strength of evidence to go forward with challenging people with the virus – but now I think there is clear data.