Joining the fight against COVID-19
HealthPartners Institute is coordinating many research and education initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early in the pandemic, we quickly geared up to provide the infrastructure and support for COVID-19 research. We established a research rapid response team with our Institutional Review Board and Critical Care Research Center. This helped us quickly and safely get critical COVID-19 studies in place.
We were the first site in Minnesota to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine trial—the AstraZeneca vaccine trial. We are also involved in vaccine surveillance through our participation in the Vaccine Safety Datalink. We have been studying the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in general, and when given during pregnancy.
Our Office of Health Professional Education organized COVID-19 case studies, creating a forum for discussion and learning about COVID-19 patients within our care system. They also developed a curriculum for clinicians to prepare for surges of incoming patients. These initiatives have been critical to learning and adapting to the evolving nature of the pandemic.
Read stories
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- Building trust in vaccines through science
- Leading the way in measuring COVID-19 vaccine equity
- COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy? How we’re finding important answers
- Institute shares new data on COVID-19 and pregnancy
Key projects
Phase 3 clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine
In September 2020, we began participation in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial. We were the first site in Minnesota to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine trial, chosen because of our strengths as an integrated system with nationally recognized clinical research expertise. Among the roughly 100 research institutions participating in the trial, our organization was one of the highest enrolling sites. Our trial participants reflected the diverse community we serve, with more than 36 percent of participants from communities of color. This diverse representation leads to better science and, ultimately, better health. Data published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) show the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective at protecting against the virus. The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is also affordable, relatively easy to store and critical to helping prevent COVID-19 around the world.