June 2020. Red Flags in Drug Research COVID-19..

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Red Flags Raised on Research 2 top medical journals are reviewing major studies they published on potential COVID-19 treatments (including hydroxychloroquine) after questions about their data surfaced yesterday, Science reports. The papers in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine shared a common source: A little-known company called Surgisphere. A Lancet "expression of concern" acknowledges that “important scientific questions have been raised about data” in a May 22 study that cast doubt on the benefits of hydroxycholoroquine for COVID-19 patients—and suggested it could even be deadly. The news put the brakes on large randomized trials drug trials. The Lancet announced that an independent audit of the data is underway. Nicholas White, a malaria researcher at Mahidol University in Bangkok, is one of the researchers who noticed red flags including details about patient demographics that didn’t add up. “It began to stretch and stretch and stretch credulity,” he says. Another paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 1, indicated that certain blood pressure drugs did not appear to increase the death risk for COVID-19 patients—also relied on Surgisphere data. The NEJM also issued an EOC indicating that they are seeking evidence of the data’s reliability from the study authors. Surgisphere has not publicly released the data underlying the studies, but is in discussions to provide the study authors with additional details.

June 2020 Funding Opportunity Announcements

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Funding Opportunity Announcements: The Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) Initiative NIH has issued a Notice of Intent to Publish (NOITP) four Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) as part of Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations (RADx-UP), a $500 million initiative to reduce COVID-19 associated morbidity and mortality disparities for vulnerable and underserved populations that are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. NIMHD will be participating in these FOAs, which include three Notices of Special Interest that solicit community-engaged research to (1) understand COVID-19 disparities and increase access to and effectiveness of diagnostic testing interventions among underserved and vulnerable populations and (2) understand the social, ethical, and behavioral implications of testing in these populations. An RFA to support a Coordination and Data Collection Center (CDCC) will also be announced. The FOAs are expected to be published in early June. Applications will be accepted through August 2020 for FY20 funding. Learn More