The coronavirus pandemic has stress-tested the entire US healthcare system, particularly in how scientists figure out whether or not experimental drugs help the sick.
Sputnik was a satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union in 1957, a scientific accomplishment that stunned the US and spurred subsequent boosts in investing in science and technology. While that national embarrassment ultimately led to the US becoming a scientific force around the world, that funding interest has waned in the 21st century, Tracey said.
Thousands of patients have received convalescent plasma but without any control group to compare results against. He called for a level of national coordination on clinical trials going forward that can prioritize drugs to test and lead these trials to their completion. Meaning instead of the company-site model, where a drug sponsor works with a particular institution, researchers, and companies would work together."You have to do randomized clinical trials that go all the way to the end with appropriate controls," Tracey said.