Source: News @ The U | July 28, 2020 | by Chris Morris

“Today is a day of hope,” Vice President Mike Pence said during Monday’s visit to the Miller School of Medicine, where he and Gov. Ron DeSantis praised health care providers for their dedication and innovation in battling the pandemic.

Vice President Mike Pence visited the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday to thank the University for its leadership in launching the first Phase 3 clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine.

“As an institution whose overarching mission and singular focus is to be at the forefront of advances in clinical care, medical education, and translational medicine to improve the health of our nation, we are pleased to host your first visit to a Phase 3 clinical site in the nation,” said Dr. Henri R. Ford, dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School, in welcoming the vice president and governor.

“Today is a historic day,” Pence said. “Today at the University of Miami we will begin the first Phase 3 trial for a coronavirus vaccine in the United States—89 sites all across America with more than 30,000 participants will be part of this. I want to thank the University of Miami not just for being the site of the clinical trial, but just as much, Dean Ford, for everything you’ve done throughout this pandemic. It is a tribute to the innovation of all the doctors, nurses, and health care workers.”

DeSantis thanked the vice president for his support and pointed out that despite the ravages of the coronavirus, some numbers in Florida are improving. Visits to emergency departments for COVID-like illnesses are lower than they were in mid-June, hospital admissions are lower, and the COVID test positivity rate is “slowly but definitely declining,” he said.

“It’s because we have a great medical system in the state of Florida, particularly here in South Florida,” DeSantis added. “I want to thank the folks here at UHealth who have been doing a great job saving lives and producing good patient outcomes.”

Pence expressed deep gratitude for UHealth’s contributions throughout the pandemic.

“It’s been the level of care, here at the University of Miami and all across Florida, that’s had the effect of lowering the number of heartbreaking losses that have occurred,” the vice president said. “I want to commend you for that, but I also want to say that we thought there would be no better place among the 89 sites across America than to come here to the University of Miami, where in just a few short days the first Phase 3 clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine will begin.

“I hope the whole team takes it as a great compliment and a great statement of confidence in the professionalism of the great health care team at the University of Miami,” Pence added.

Dr. Susanne Doblecki-Lewis, associate professor of clinical medicine, is leading the University’s  participation in the clinical trial, part of the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network. The trial will test a vaccine developed by scientists at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and collaborators at biotechnology company Moderna, Inc.

“We’re incredibly excited to begin this process here at the University of Miami, and we are really amazed and humbled by the number of volunteers who have already stepped forward to be a part of this trial, Doblecki-Lewis said at a news conference. The Miller School plans to enroll 1,000 patients in the trial, making sure to represent the diversity of South Florida and patients most at risk because of medical conditions.