Information for Clinicians on Investigational Therapeutics for Patients with COVID-19
The spectrum of medical therapies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is growing and evolving rapidly, including both drugs approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and drugs made available under FDA emergency use authorization (EUA). CDC strongly encourages clinicians, patients and their advocates, and health system administrators to regularly consult the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelinesexternal icon published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The treatment and management recommendations in these guidelines are based on scientific evidence and expert opinion and are frequently updated.
Current clinical management of COVID-19 consists of infection prevention and control measures and supportive care, including supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilatory support when indicated. FDA has approved one drug, remdesivir (Veklury), for the treatment of COVID-19 in certain situations.
Early effective treatment of any disease can help avert progression to more serious illness, especially for patients at high risk of disease progression and severe illness, with the additional benefit of reducing the burden on healthcare systems. A number of novel therapeutics (e.g., monoclonal antibodies) are available under EUA for early outpatient treatment. Trials to assess the potential effectiveness of these therapeutics in outpatients at high risk of disease progression are ongoing. Clinicians and patients who wish to consider their use, or the use of any other available investigational therapies, should review the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelinesexternal icon as well as the FDA EUA for the therapy. Health system administrators should be aware that a number of these agents are intended for outpatient intravenous infusion and be prepared to provide such care in a location and manner in which patients with COVID-19 can be safely managed.
The NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines have developed a figureexternal icon that conveniently summarizes pharmacologic management of patients with COVID-19 based on disease severity.
People seeking information about registered clinical trials for COVID-19 in the United Sates can search for such information here: ClinicalTrials.govexternal icon.
Information about enrolling in clinical trials related specifically to COVID-19 can also be found at CombatCovid.hhs.govexternal icon, and includes opportunities for persons with and without COVID-19.