In large clinical trials conducted worldwide, full-dose anticoagulation (blood thinner) treatments given to moderately ill patients hospitalized for COVID-19 reduced the requirement of vital organ support, such as the need for mechanical ventilation. A trend in possible reduction of mortality was also observed and is being further studied. With large numbers of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization, these outcomes could also help reduce the overload on intensive care units around the world.

As is normal for clinical trials, these trials are overseen by independent boards that routinely review the data and are composed of experts in ethics, biostatistics, clinical trials, and blood clotting disorders. Informed by the deliberations of these oversight boards, all the trial sites have stopped enrollment. However, research questions remain about how to further improve the clinical care of COVID-19 patients. This adaptive protocol has been designed to allow different drugs to be started, stopped, or combined during the study in response to emerging scientific data. This approach enables the rapid testing of additional agents without compromising safety and the study will evolve accordingly.

The scientific community is working diligently and continues to amaze! We may not be able to prevent the virus from infecting our communities, so focusing on treatment is a great idea. Imagine not needing to put a patient on mechanical ventilation simply by administering an anticoagulant! It’s very exciting and comforting to know someone is out there, trialing innovative ways to decrease the loss of life.

Stay the course, stay well, mask up, and stay tuned!