FLEMING ISLAND – Florida Cancer Specialists on Fleming Island administered first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine last week to its cancer patients. FCS was one of 11 physician practices, and the only community oncology provider, designated by Clay County to assist their efforts to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to residents in the priority groups.

FCS medical oncologist Augusto Villegas, MD, said “We are so happy to partner with the Clay County Health Department to bring the vaccine to people in the priority groups as quickly as possible. Our patients with cancer and blood disorders are at increased risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and suffering its severe complications. As their trusted community oncology providers, we are ideally positioned to administer the vaccine to this high-risk population.”

FCS Fleming Island is the only FCS practice that is administering the vaccine at this time.

Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. Over the past 5 years, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation. Trained in such prestigious medical schools and research institutes as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, Emory, MD Anderson, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.

Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies, and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.