NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Thousands across the country suffer from 'long-haul COVID', a condition where COVID-19 symptoms last around three months or longer.
The search for a successful treatment is one reason a clinical trial in Franklin started this month.
"The patients that have reached out to us are desperate for help," explained Dr. Alex Slandzicki, CEO of Clinical Trial Center Middle Tennessee and the lead coordinator of the trial. "They have really no answers, there's no standard of care for these folks. As I [said], it's been a very debilitating illness."
His team is now working with the National Institute of Health, Duke University, and several other labs across the country in the largest study looking into a treatment for long-haul COVID.
"We all probably know somebody who is suffering from these long COVID symptoms," added Jessica Wallan, another research coordinator involved in the trial. "We see them not be their normal selves, and we just want to be able to help our neighbors and our friends and our family."
Nine hundred patients will take with an antiviral drug called PAXLOVID.
It's typically used to treat mild and moderate COVID, but researchers want to know if it works on Long COVID, too.
While the drug is typically administered for 5 days for mild to moderate COVID cases, participants will receive the drug for 25 days.
Researchers will study its effects on those with symptoms during and afterwards.
"Memory loss, focus, concentration, inability to function in their job, and again, fatigue," Dr. Slandzicki listed some of the main symptoms of long COVID. "So [the participants are] very excited about the possibility of finding some answers."
If you or someone you know has long COVID, the Tennessee team is still looking for participants. To see if you qualify, you can learn more at this online resource with clinical studies from around the world, or on RECOVER's website.
The research team in Franklin was approved for the study in July.
They enrolled their first patient this month, and they hope to have results in about a year and a half.
