CNN: Moderna's clinical trial numbers show there's 'no way' Trump can have a vaccine by Election Day
UC expert leading local trial is encouraged by community response
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine, is featured in an article by CNN on the trial of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19. In the story, Peter Hotez, MD, a vaccinologist at Baylor College of Medicine and CNN medical expert, says there is "no way" the vaccine will be ready by Election Day Nov. 3 as President Trump is hoping.
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
Fichtenbaum, who is the medical director for the Moderna trial at UC, told CNN he expects to start enrolling patients at his site in the middle of August. He said his goal is to enroll 500 patients, and already 2,500 patients have reached out to him inquiring about the trial.
"We're getting good numbers," he said of the trial. "I think this accrual is going to hit its target pretty quickly."
Read the entire story here.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Stay up on all UC's COVID-19 stories, read more #UCtheGood content, or take a UC virtual visit and begin picturing yourself at an institution that inspires incredible stories.
Related Stories
Driven by curiosity, guided by care
May 14, 2026
Max Wilson, a University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences health sciences major on the pre-physician assistant track, found his path expanding beyond the classroom and into hands-on research focused on human performance and patient care.
New cohort of nursing students get ready to join co-ops
May 14, 2026
A new chapter is beginning for more than 100 University of Cincinnati College of Nursing rising seniors as they embark on one of the most distinctive experiences in undergraduate nursing education: the UC Nursing Co-op Program. The incoming cohort will fan out across Cincinnati's premier healthcare institutions, stepping into some of the most dynamic and specialized clinical environments in the region. Placement sites include UC Medical Center (UCMC), West Chester Hospital, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) Burnet, College Hill, and Liberty campus.
Will a gas tax help lower prices at the pump?
May 14, 2026
WCPO recently reported on Kentucky and Indiana’s steps to combat surging gas prices, cutting and suspending state gas taxes, respectively. UC economist Michael Jones explained the impact on Cincinnati.