Federal government:
In Italy, the number of people dying from COVID-19 has dropped to about 500 per day—a decrease from the 900 to 1,000 patients who had been dying daily when the disease spread was at its peak.
NCI is finalizing plans to use its clinical trials networks to administer a compassionate use protocol for distribution of tocilizumab, a drug that blocks the inflammatory protein IL-6.
Governments respond differently to crises which threaten the health of their citizens. For example, during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, some countries instituted an immediate lockdown whilst others have not restricted social activities, or have done so too late to be maximally effective.
While the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) groups remain open for business during the pandemic, it’s not business as usual. For good reason, clinical trials are taking a backseat to clinical care. Leadership and members themselves face significant challenges treating oncology patients, as attention and resources are diverted to minister to those with COVID-19.
While the world watched the pandemic unfold in China and Italy, SARS-Cov-2 spread exponentially in Spain, killing more people faster and earlier within a month, relative to many outbreaks in other Western countries.
As he manages the logistics of running Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and cancer services throughout RWJBarnabas Health, Steven K. Libutti has to worry about providing cancer care in a massive health system in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program approved the following clinical research studies last month.
FDA March 27 approved Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use granted a positive opinion for the extension of the marketing authorization of Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) and recommended its approval in combination with CHP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone) as a treatment for adult patients with previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
