AXIS Center: bringing new medical care faster to communities
Official title: Center for Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science (AXIS)
Funded at Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci · NIH-11375930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pharmacist-led telehealth program will try to increase COVID-19 and flu vaccination among workers in high-risk community jobs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 28, 2009 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,815,897 |
| NIH project number | 5U54MD007598-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375930 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults who live or work in high-risk community jobs (beauty, food, transportation, hospitality, nursing/medical aides, plant workers) and who would join telehealth sessions for health and vaccine education.
✕Less likely to help
People who are already up to date on COVID-19 and flu vaccines or who do not work in the targeted high-risk industries are unlikely to benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
If I join, I would complete a short intake form about my vaccine knowledge and health needs. Participants who qualify will be randomly assigned to regular telehealth wellness visits or to telehealth visits that include extra preventive care and vaccination education from pharmacists. The project focuses on workers in high-risk industries like beauty, food service, transportation, hospitality, nursing/medical aides, and plant work and follows people over two years. The main goal is to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake, with influenza vaccination and other prevention measures tracked as secondary outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more people in high-risk jobs get COVID-19 and flu vaccines and other preventive care through convenient pharmacist-led telehealth.
How similar studies have gone: Pharmacist-led vaccination programs and telehealth education have previously improved vaccine rates in some settings, though combining a pharmacist-led telehealth wellness model targeted to these specific industries is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Torres-Ruiz, Jose a — Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
- Study coordinator: Torres-Ruiz, Jose a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.