NSCC Update

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by Dpeck100

The only way to get back to normalcy is a treatment.

This drug is curing people who are in really bad shape. Not the minor cases.

The way to get back to normalcy is to eliminate the possibility of a continuing or recurring pandemic. A treatment for people already gravely ill doesn't achieve that because it does nothing to lessen the number of cases. The only thing that achieves that end is to build herd immunity and the only ways to do that is either vaccinations or everyone getting the disease and not dying from it.

One of the top market analysts for years.

“An effective treatment is a huge deal and would create a path to open the economy and resume normal ‘social activities’ way sooner than a vaccine,” said Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors. “A treatment is safer and more scalable because it is only given to people who need to be treated.”

Well, if I want to understand matters of disease and public health, the first person I would talk to is a guy who wants to sell me stock in the pharmaceutical company.

In all seriousness, one of my virologist friends does think that remdesivir does show good potential, but is cautious in pumping it up as some miracle cure until the results from a number of clinical trials is available. And the Gilead results are very preliminary. I found a good article about the trial results that seems to take on the proper tone. Hopeful, but clear in that there is still a long way to go. And, for anyone familiar with the design of experiments, there is some language in there that will temper your enthusiasm. For example:

Mullane, while encouraged by the University of Chicago data, made clear her own hesitancy about drawing too many conclusions.

“It’s always hard,” she said, because the severe trial doesn’t include a placebo group for comparison.