Infectious diseases epidemiology, quantitative methodology, and clinical research in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspective from a European country
Read Article published in Contemporary Clinical Trials 99 (2020) 106189
Marc Buyse, Chief Scientific Officer IDDI, Corresponding author
ABSTRACT:
Starting from historic reflections, the current SARS-CoV-2 induced COVID-19 pandemic is examined from various perspectives, in terms of what it implies for the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, the
modeling and monitoring of the epidemic, the development of early warning systems, the study of mortality, prevalence estimation, diagnostic and serological testing, vaccine development, and ultimately clinical trials.
Emphasis is placed on how the pandemic had led to unprecedented speed in methodological and clinical development, the pitfalls thereof, but also the opportunities that it engenders for national and international collaboration, and how it has simplified and sped up procedures. We also study the impact of the pandemic on clinical trials in other indications. We note that it has placed biostatistics, epidemiology, virology, infectiology, and vaccinology, and related fields in the spotlight in an unprecedented way, implying great opportunities, but also the need to communicate effectively, often amidst controversy.
AUTHORS:
Geert Molenberghs , Marc Buyse, Steven Abrams, Niel Hens, Philippe Beutels , Christel Faes , Geert Verbeke, Pierre Van Damme, Herman Goossens, Thomas Neyens, Sereina Herzog, Heidi Theeten, Koen Pepermans, Ariel Alonso Abad, Ingrid Van Keilegom, Niko Speybroeck, Catherine Legrand, Stefanie De Buyser, Frank Hulstaert
