The promise and peril of the search for Covid-19 treatments

The biopharma industry has rapidly scaled up its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 100 clinical trials up and running around the globe. But that effort is lacking international coordination, a trio of public health experts write in a new First Opinion for STAT.

That lack of cooperation could lead to counterproductive competition between countries, whose biotech industries typically shy away from collaboration in a race to find drugs first. There's also a pressing risk of panic and fear fueling treatment decisions, including when it comes to the use of drugs like hydroxychloroquine.

"We will need international coordination of scientific goals, transparency of results, comprehensive participation in clinical research, and trials that evaluate meaningful outcomes,” the authors write.