Survey study on volunteers participating in clinical phase trials of the national vaccine developed against COVID-19

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic characteristics, motivations for participation, and experiences of volunteers who took part in the phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials of Turkovac, the first national COVID-19 vaccine developed in Turkiye. Methods: A total of 230 volunteers participated in the study. Data on their demographics and perspectives on clinical research were collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: The majority of the volunteers were male (76.1%) and residing in urban areas (87.8%). Of all participants, 91.7% were involved in the phase 2 trial and 8.3% in the phase 1 trial. Most volunteers reported that their motivation for participation was based on trust in the national vaccine. Furthermore, a significant part of the participants evaluated their clinical trial experience positively and expressed willingness to participate in future studies. Conclusion: The findings of this study may provide valuable insights for the planning of future clinical trials and the development of effective strategies to increase volunteer participation.