Issue of Relevance28 Sep 2020 20:48
Earlier today a post was on most USA studies concerning Covid-19 excluded older people. Over the weekend I pointed out that despite a vaccine for influenza, millions of NHS bed days with over 360,000 pensioners arrive in hospital and swamp our health service in winter (2017/18). The final point on age with illness, if you have therapy that takes you as an older person from 20% functionality to 40% functionality the result is being extremely happy as you appreciate what you can now do as its 100% improvement. If you are a younger person with 80% functionality and improve to 85% you may not notice the difference as it feels incremental.
This company does clinical trials with older patient cohorts. This is an extremely hard thing to do. It also means it is difficult for others to copy and demonstrate similar efficacy with the relevant patient group. Its more difficult because they may have different illness and co-morbidities. Its more difficult as a proportion available may not be meta stable. Older patients may be required to take other medication for all their other conditions. The criteria recruitment is just more complex to do and leaves more variables to contend with.
Whatever happens we are on the right track to have relevant impact and a meaningful output. Whether the investment succeeds, the commercial element materialises and remaining clinical results deliver is what still awaits us. At least there is a chance it does not join the 90% of scientific research that is irrelevant.
ony