Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better
Belgium has actively participated in clinical research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the beginning of the pandemic to help identify effective and safe treatments for COVID-19. The objective of this review is to provide a picture of the clinical studies carried...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1427 |
| _version_ | 1797433083654307840 |
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| author | Maya Hites Jean-Louis Vincent |
| author_facet | Maya Hites Jean-Louis Vincent |
| author_sort | Maya Hites |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Belgium has actively participated in clinical research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the beginning of the pandemic to help identify effective and safe treatments for COVID-19. The objective of this review is to provide a picture of the clinical studies carried out in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Belgium. We collected data on all randomized, interventional trials in patients with COVID-19 that were registered on two recognized clinical trial registers, started enrollment before 31 December 2021, and included at least one patient in a Belgian center. Data were collected concerning the therapies investigated and the nature of the trials performed. Thirty-three hospitals (32% of all Belgian hospitals) participated in at least one of 28 trials (13 sponsored by the industry and 15 by academic centers) on therapeutics for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients: 7 (25%) evaluated antivirals, 17 (61%) immunomodulators, 2 (7%) anti-coagulants, and 1 (3%) nitric oxide to improve respiratory function. Nineteen (68%) were phase II trials. Only three (11%) of the trials were international platform trials. Despite numerous trials, less than 3% of all Belgian patients hospitalized with COVID-19 participated in a clinical trial on therapeutics. As in many other countries, more efforts could have been made to avoid running small, under-powered, mono- or bicenter trials, to create better collaboration between the different Belgian hospitals, and to participate in more international clinical trials, and more specifically in adaptive, platform trials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:11:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd7eea38eeba482aa9680bea8b06ab58 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:11:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd7eea38eeba482aa9680bea8b06ab582023-12-01T22:46:59ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-06-01147142710.3390/v14071427Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do BetterMaya Hites0Jean-Louis Vincent1Clinic of Infectious Diseases, HUB-Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Intensive Care, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, BelgiumBelgium has actively participated in clinical research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the beginning of the pandemic to help identify effective and safe treatments for COVID-19. The objective of this review is to provide a picture of the clinical studies carried out in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Belgium. We collected data on all randomized, interventional trials in patients with COVID-19 that were registered on two recognized clinical trial registers, started enrollment before 31 December 2021, and included at least one patient in a Belgian center. Data were collected concerning the therapies investigated and the nature of the trials performed. Thirty-three hospitals (32% of all Belgian hospitals) participated in at least one of 28 trials (13 sponsored by the industry and 15 by academic centers) on therapeutics for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients: 7 (25%) evaluated antivirals, 17 (61%) immunomodulators, 2 (7%) anti-coagulants, and 1 (3%) nitric oxide to improve respiratory function. Nineteen (68%) were phase II trials. Only three (11%) of the trials were international platform trials. Despite numerous trials, less than 3% of all Belgian patients hospitalized with COVID-19 participated in a clinical trial on therapeutics. As in many other countries, more efforts could have been made to avoid running small, under-powered, mono- or bicenter trials, to create better collaboration between the different Belgian hospitals, and to participate in more international clinical trials, and more specifically in adaptive, platform trials.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1427Belgiumadaptive platform trialssevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) |
| spellingShingle | Maya Hites Jean-Louis Vincent Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better Viruses Belgium adaptive platform trials severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) |
| title | Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better |
| title_full | Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better |
| title_fullStr | Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better |
| title_short | Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better |
| title_sort | pharmacological studies in hospitalized covid 19 patients in belgium we could do better |
| topic | Belgium adaptive platform trials severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1427 |
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