Quincy Reporter

Blessing Health System issued the following announcement on Nov. 17.

Hannibal Clinic’s Research Center has been approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of the federal Operation Warp Speed initiative, to participate in an outpatient COVID-19 treatment research trial.

Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership created to fight the COVID-19 virus. Among its goals is to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

The trial in which Hannibal Clinic and its Research Center will participate is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) with a goal of involving 2,000 participants nationwide. It will look at the safety and effectiveness of different drugs in treating COVID-19 in outpatients. The trial was launched in response to the need for one study to efficiently test multiple drugs from more than one company, in people who have tested positive for COVID-19 but who do not currently need hospitalization. This could help prevent disease progression to more serious symptoms and complications.

Hannibal Clinic Research staff will conduct follow up testing on patients involved in the study and report the results to NIAID and NIH. The study will be led by Primary Investigator Humam Farah, MD, director, Hannibal Clinic Research Center.

Patients who have received a positive COVID test from the Hannibal Clinic will be contacted by the study team to gauge their interest in participating. The trial could begin as early as the end of November and will last into February 2021.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for Hannibal Clinic, its Research Center and for the people we serve to make an impact on the future of this virus” said Kimber Steinbeck, BSN, RN, Ancillary Services Manager, Clinical Research Coordinator, Hannibal Clinic. “Typically, large teaching institutions and those with already established relationships with the NIH are selected for these trials. I believe the selection of the Hannibal Clinic Research Center is a testament to the quality of our program and is a reason to be proud.”

Hannibal Clinic is a member of the Blessing Health System.

Original source can be found here.