Why were so few randomized trials of public health and social measures conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Norwegian experience.

Why were so few randomized trials of public health and social measures conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Norwegian experience.

Publication date: Oct 12, 2024

Few randomized trials of public health and social measures were carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report on the major barriers we faced when we tried to run such trials. We reviewed all randomized trials proposed and initiated by the Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research in Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 18 proposed trials, 11 trials were not implemented. One of the key legal and ethical barriers to conducting the trials was the Norwegian Health Research Act, which demands informed consent from all participants who are exposed to an intervention. A lack of sufficient political support was also a challenge, as was unpredictability, due to shifting disease incidence and changing recommendations from the authorities. Strengthening the evidence base for public health and social measures in pandemics will require political and public understanding and support and a legal framework that allows for the conduct of such trials.

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Concepts Keywords
Conducting COVID-19
Legal Humans
Norway Informed Consent
Pandemic Norway
Run Pandemics
Public Health
Research Design
SARS-CoV-2

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH COVID-19 pandemic
disease IDO intervention
pathway REACTOME Reproduction
disease MESH infection
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
drug DRUGBANK Esomeprazole
drug DRUGBANK Etoperidone
disease IDO process
drug DRUGBANK Medical air
drug DRUGBANK Trestolone
disease MESH morbidity
drug DRUGBANK Ibuprofen
drug DRUGBANK Methionine
disease MESH emergencies
drug DRUGBANK Iron
drug DRUGBANK Deferoxamine
drug DRUGBANK Methyl isocyanate
drug DRUGBANK Ethionamide
drug DRUGBANK L-Phenylalanine

Original Article

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