Access to novel therapies for COVID-19 – distributive justice and Russian roulette?

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.