National Task Force recommends establishing 'India COVID-19 Clinical Research Collaborative Network'

New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): Calling it an immediate priority, the National Task Force for COVID-19 has recommended establishing the "India COVID-19 Clinical Research Collaborative Network."

This will be coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The goal of this network is to enhance the clinical understanding of COVID-19 in the country so as to develop specific clinical management protocols and further research and development (R & D) for therapeutics.

For this purpose, a central database of clinical and laboratory parameters of hospitalised COVID-19 cases is being created. All hospitals currently managing COVID-19 patients are invited to become partners in the network.

Meanwhile, hospitals should continue to independently report the concerned data to Central/State health authorities as per the current guidelines, according to the ICMR.

In a letter, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General of ICMR, said: "The national task force for COVID-19 has constituted the research groups to identify the research priorities and quickly initiate research studies. This group includes clinical research group, research on diagnostics and biomarkers, epidemiology and surveillance, operations research, vaccine/drug research, and development."

The chairs of these groups will convene meetings of respective groups through video conference to identify research priorities, develop research protocols and identify partners institutes for initiating studies, Dr Bhargava said in the letter, a copy of which is with ANI.

The letter discussed the TOR for each group which has a focus to -- identify research priorities, review evidence, align them in consonance with the current level of response, identify protocols and partners for implementation.