Centre for Comparative Studies
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage countries, all attention is focused on the research communityto generate evidence-based preventive treatment, primarily through Clinical Trials (CTs). With close to 2,500CT studies being conducted worldwide, it is of paramount importance to understand the nature of CTs beingconducted globally and in India, the underlying factors that oversaw the CT boom and the role of regulatorybodies. The paper also attempts to evaluate the ramifications of COVID-19 on CTs globally through thelens of regulatory policies like Emergency Use Authorisation in the United States, the ethical conundrumssurrounding scientific publishing and the trickle-down effect of these on developing nations like India. InIndia, in addition to CTs, ICMR—based on observational studies—has recommended the use of HCQ as aprophylactic for healthcare workers. While these observational studies may be an indicator of the drug’sefficacy as a preventive, it is always apt if backed by scientific evidence, given the widespread administrationof HCQ amongst healthcare workers. Under such circumstances, while timely vaccine development is certainlycritical, it is equally important to safeguard the CT research standards and procedures.
Read the paper Impact of COVID-19 on Clinical Trials by Prianka G, Research Intern, CPPR- Centre for Comparative Studies.
