Abstract:
In an ideal world, universal access to healthcare should be
achievable; all COVID-19 patients should have access to therapies
that improve outcomes. These include existing, repurposed and
novel therapies. Novel therapies need to be safe and effective, and
a well-established path for obtaining information regarding safety
and efficacy has been in place for many years. The pandemic has
seen an acceleration in these processes: existing medicines are
being rapidly repurposed, there is a massive drive to develop novel
treatments and vaccines, and access to experimental treatments is
being granted on compassionate grounds.