In 2021, Dr. Michael Silverman, Dr. Seema Nair Parvathy and Karen Broadhurst were contributing clinical researchers to the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Study investigating the outcomes for COVID-19 patients treated with repurposed antivirals. This landmark random clinical trial enrolled thousands of patients from across the world. Preliminary findings, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), show treatment with existing antivirals did not significantly reduce mortality, need for ventilation or hospital stay duration in COVID-19 patients.
As part of another Canadian sub-study to the Solidarity Trial, researchers identified modest improvements in hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with Remdesivir. This was recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), key findings include preventing the need for mechanical ventilation and improved recovery compared to those who received standard care alone.
Final results of this study have just been reported in the Lancet and confirm that Remdesivir reduced mortality and the need for invasive ventilation in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. This study was a remarkable collaboration involving researchers from 35 countries, highlighting the importance and versatility of global collaboration.
High profile publications
- WHO Solidarity Trial Consortium. Remdesivir and three other drugs for hospitalized patients with COVID-19: final results of the WHO Solidarity randomized trial and updated meta-analyses
- Canadian Treatments for COVID-19 (CATCO)*; for the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada (AMMI) Clinical Research Network and the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group. Remdesivir for the treatment of patients in hospital with COVID-19 in Canada: a randomized controlled trial
- Economic evaluation of remdesivir plus supportive care versus supportive care alone alongside the Canadian treatments for COVID-19 (E-CATCO) randomized trial: a cost-effectiveness analysis
- WHO Solidarity Trial Consortium. Repurposed Antiviral Drugs for Covid-19 — Interim WHO Solidarity Trial Results
Journals of distinction
NEJM: NEJM is cited more often in scientific literature than any other medical journal, and has the highest Journal Impact Factor of all general medical journals.
CMAJ: As a peer-reviewed general medical journal publishing cutting-edge, thought-provoking research, CMAJ continues to have substantial impact on health care around the world.
The Lancet: For two centuries, the goal of The Lancet has been to improve people’s lives through science while at the same time increasing the overall social impact of science.
Keeping people healthy
Innovative research and collaboration are vital components for how health teams at LHSC build upon and improve the standard of care. Our scientists and clinicians continue to be on the forefront of discovery, and face every challenge with one goal in mind: keeping people healthy.