Research on COVID-19

Vitalité Health Network supports research to advance the knowledge, screening and treatment of COVID-19. 

The COVID 19 component of the biobank of the Dr. Georges L. Dumont University Hospital Centre (UHC) is aiming to collect biological samples and health information from New Brunswick patients infected with COVID 19, to store this information anonymously, and to make it available to national and international scientific research teams working to find solutions to stop COVID-19.

The new virus responsible for the coronavirus (COVID-19) illness, identified for the first time in late 2019, has already caused a global pandemic. Although most cases are benign, a certain number are serious, require hospitalization and can even lead to death. By late April 2020, the world had already seen over 5 million cases and over 220,000 deaths.

There is still much we don’t know about this new virus and how it affects us. Researchers will play key role in discovering a treatment, improving testing and supporting patient care.

How to help with the research on COVID-19

You can help with the research by participating in the COVID-19 component of the Dr. Georges L. Dumont UHC Biobank if you were:

  • Diagnosed positive for COVID-19;
  • In close contact with someone who had COVID-19.

If you would like to participate, contact us at the telephone number or e-mail address below:

  • 506-869-7322;
  • CHUDumontBiobanque [at] vitalitenb.ca (subject: Research%20on%20COVID-19) . 

Participants will contribute to the research by providing information on their health as well as biological samples such as:

  • The unused portion of their COVID 19 test sample (which is already at the microbiology laboratory of the Dr. Georges L. Dumont UHC);
  • Blood samples (30 mL, or 6 teaspoons);
  • A little saliva (5 mL, or 1 teaspoon);
  • A little of the fluid from their bronchial washing (5 mL, or 1 teaspoon), if their health care involved this procedure.

Participants’ biological samples will be stored in the laboratory of the Dr. Georges L. Dumont UHC Biobank and their health information will be stored in the biobank’s secure database.

To protect participants’ identity, all the information will be anonymized, meaning that each participant’s name will be replaced by a “biobank number.” Only the “code key” from the biobank can connect the information collected to a participant’s identity. The biobank code key is held confidentially by the research team of the Regional Office of Research Services and is not available to the researchers. Please note that although the risk of being identified by the study data is very low, it can never be entirely eliminated.

There is no expected benefit for participants but the information that is collected may help the scientific community better understand the virus and find solutions to better care for people.