Process of a Vaccine Trial

This paper describes the complex process of a clinical trial of Mw anti-leprosy vaccine. The receivers of the bio-medical products are viewed not as mere cases seen through the protocol of the trial but as persons within different social contexts with their own understanding of the product in relation to their bodies. The issue becomes more complex in the case of the Mw vaccine as it is not only a prophylactic but also a therapeutic vaccine the patients negotiate between their understanding of the disease and the product. This also influences the biomedical discourse as the clinicians have to negotiate a balance between the therapeutic and experimental aspects of their work.