Improving the Availability of COVID-19 Therapeutics in Vulnerable Communities

Beyond vaccination, what are some methods for treating COVID-19 in both inpatient and outpatient settings? In the 2 years since the beginning of the pandemic, the strategies for protecting people from this deadly virus have certainly evolved, yet questions remain regarding COVID-19 therapeutics and their availability in certain communities and during times of scarcity.For this episode of DocTalk, Tara Vijayan, MD, MPH, who is a member of the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine, offered insights into the mechanisms of several COVID-19 treatments, as well as the primary outcomes of these treatments in clinical trials and how they influence prioritization.This conversation was based off her session, “Navigating Novel COVID-19 Therapeutics in Times of Scarcity and Beyond,” which was presented at Pri-Med West 2022 in Anaheim, California.Though she is confident with certain aspects of COVID-19 care, she is also focused on improving upon treatment from “an equity standpoint, an ethical standpoint, and an evidence standpoint”.