As vaccine doses increase and mask mandates lift, it’s hard to imagine how much work is left to do in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Numbers are trending down, and while that’s great news, scientists, researchers, and health officials work diligently to increase our knowledge of the virus and expand how we detect, treat, and prevent it. The end may be closer than ever, but it’s not over. The fight to end COVID-19 pushes on and your help is needed more than ever.
Research Studies are Vital to Ending COVID-19
The virus that causes COVID-19 isn’t new. However, the symptoms it triggers categorizes it into a new type of coronavirus. This means we would need new ways to detect, manage, and prevent this specific strain. Clinical research studies help us learn more about the virus. The information we learn can re-purpose previously approved therapies and design potential new ones.
Research studies also play a vital role in evaluating how effective and safe potential new therapies are as they interact with the human body after lab evaluation. After completing all required phases of research, the FDA reviews the data and issues an approval or denial. Every FDA-approved therapy and device has gone through this process.
Expanding Options and the Finish Line
During extreme emergencies such as public health crises, the FDA can issue Emergency Use Authorization to potential new therapies. An EUA permits the public distribution and the use of unapproved drugs. Or, unapproved uses of approved medicines under specific guidelines. For COVID-19, one treatment thus far has full FDA approval. Remdesivir was developed over a decade ago. It received approval last year in late October to treat adults and children sick enough to need hospitalization. All three vaccines in circulation are under emergency use, along with treatments including:
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Antivirals
- Immune modulators
- Convalescent plasma
The progress thus far is without a doubt thanks to the continued efforts of clinical research studies and those individuals who participate in them. Work continues to expand options for covering variants of the virus, younger patients, disease stage, and symptom severities. Also, to gather the remaining data needed to move those options under emergency use to full FDA approval.
Are You Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms?
Clinical research participants are the lifeblood of medical advances. Hundreds of thousands of individuals to date have joined in the unprecedented fight to end COVID-19. We will need many more before the end.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, Arizona Clinical Trials is offering FREE testing! Those with a positive result will be given the opportunity to see if they are eligible to participate in enrolling clinical trials. Get tested and get involved today! Call us at (480) 360-4000 or visit our website.
References:
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/end-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-so-close-and-yet-
