COVID-19: SA ready to start with Solidarity Trial

Dennis TJuly 28, 2020

294 1 minute read

After months of delays, South African researchers were given the green light to start enrolling patients in the Solidarity Trial.

The goal of the World Health Organisation (WHO) trial, is to identify effective COVID-19 treatments using medicines already available, like those for malaria and HIV.

Since the launch of the Solidarity Trial four months ago, about 5500 patients have been enrolled in 39 countries.

South Africa was among the first to offer its expertise in this global fight against COVID-19.

But it’s been a struggle to get off the ground. Now researchers are ready.

According to Solidarity Trial Principal Investigator Dr Jeremy Nel, the hope is to start in Johannesburg.

“We want to start with only a few sites at the very beginning to get this ball rolling and see if there are any other issues. The sites we’re hoping to start with will be in Johannesburg, so Helen Joseph Hospital and Baragwanath. Then Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital. Then we’re looking to start very soon in KZN.”

Any patient admitted to one of the trial sites is a potential candidate.

There are some medical exclusions, and the patient must consent to be enrolled.