CORONAVIRUS. SUSAN SHAPIRO EXPLAINS. SUSAN: PENN STATE HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER IS ONE OF 75 HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD INVOLVED IN A CLINICAL TRIAL OF A DRUG THAT COULD BE USED TO TREAT COVID-19. REMDESIVIR HAS BEEN TREATED FOR HUMANS WITH EBOLA AND IN OTHER ANIMALS — AND IN ANIMALS WITH OTHER SIMILAR ILLNESSES. AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR AT HER SHE SAYS SHE IS ENCOURAGED.>> THERE IS PRETTY GOOD DATA FROM THE MERS VIRUS IN A POPULATION OF MONKEYS, AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED PRETTY WELL. NOW THAT MEANS MANY ANTIVIRALS FAILED WHEN THEY GET INTO A CLINICAL TRIAL. THAT’S WHY I AM SUCH A STRONG PROPONENT OF DOING THIS, SETTING UP A TRIAL. SUSAN: PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS AND HAVE OTHER SYMPTOMS LIKE RATTLING IN THEIR LUNGS MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE PART. THIS IS A DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY, SO PATIENTS AND DOCTORS WILL NOT KNOW WHO GETS REMDESIVIR AND WHO GETS A PLACEBO. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES WILL ANALYZE THE DATA FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THEN DECIDE IF REMDESIVIR IS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE TO TREAT COVID-19.
Penn State Hershey Medical Center to participate in clinical trial of drug that could treat coronavirus
WGAL News 8 coronavirus updates
A Susquehanna Valley hospital is taking part in a clinical trial of a drug that could be used to treat COVID-19.Penn State Hershey Medical Center is one of 75 sites around the world that is participating in the trial of remdesivir.Remdesivir has been tested in humans with Ebola, as well as in animals with other similar viruses.Dr. Catharine Paules, an infectious disease specialist, said she is encouraged about the trial.”There some pretty good data from the MERS virus in a population of monkeys, that it actually worked pretty well. Now, that being said, many antivirals fail when they get into a clinical trial, and that’s why I’m such a strong proponent of doing this in the setting of a trial,” she said.Hospital patients who have tested positive for coronavirus and are experiencing other symptoms, such as rattling in their lungs, may be asked to take part in the trial.It is a double-blind study, so patients and doctors won’t know who is getting the drug and who is getting the placebo.The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will analyze the data from all the world to determine if remdesivir is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19.
HERSHEY, Pa. —
A Susquehanna Valley hospital is taking part in a clinical trial of a drug that could be used to treat COVID-19.
Penn State Hershey Medical Center is one of 75 sites around the world that is participating in the trial of remdesivir.
Remdesivir has been tested in humans with Ebola, as well as in animals with other similar viruses.
Dr. Catharine Paules, an infectious disease specialist, said she is encouraged about the trial.
“There some pretty good data from the MERS virus in a population of monkeys, that it actually worked pretty well. Now, that being said, many antivirals fail when they get into a clinical trial, and that’s why I’m such a strong proponent of doing this in the setting of a trial,” she said.
Hospital patients who have tested positive for coronavirus and are experiencing other symptoms, such as rattling in their lungs, may be asked to take part in the trial.
It is a double-blind study, so patients and doctors won’t know who is getting the drug and who is getting the placebo.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will analyze the data from all the world to determine if remdesivir is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19.
