Clinical scorecard for COVID-19: lessons from the first wave of controlled trials

Breaking through the noise of poor-quality clinical studies are the first clear signals of a treatment paradigm for COVID-19, indicating how and when to use the two major therapeutic approaches -- attacking the virus and modulating the immune system.

The most recent example came June 16, when University of Oxford’s RECOVERY trial -- a large master protocol study -- found the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone effective in reducing mortality, particularly in patients on ventilators (see “UK Approves Steroid”). ...