The DZIF and University Hospital Cologne compile overview of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 trials in Germany
In the global fight against the new coronavirus, an increasing number of clinical trials are being conducted on drugs to fight the virus in many countries of the world including Germany. In order to attain an overview of all clinical trials taking place in Germany and to provide an effective network for the researchers, the Clinical Trial Unit of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Cologne University has, for the first time, created a registry for all clinical trial activities involving SARS-CoV-2 taking place in Germany. This DZIF study registry uses the Healex Site Management System (SMS) to track research activities across all DZIF partner sites. All trials that have been planned or initiated in Germany will be embedded in the DZIF website and be made visible and accessible to doctors, the general public, researchers and patients. With this, the DZIF and the University Hospital Cologne have created a point of contact for research activities and clinical trials involving SARS-CoV-2.
Active interdisciplinary exchange of information between researchers substantially contributes towards the successful development of new diagnosis and treatment approaches in clinical trials. Creating transparency for both planned and already active coronavirus research work supports such an exchange of information. For this reason, information on research strategies and treatment approaches needs to be pooled, centrally recorded and made easily accessible. Prof. Oliver Cornely, a Cologne virologist and Coordinator of the DZIF’s Clinical Trial Unit, uses this approach in the Healex GmbH platform.
“We have been working with this system for many years and, together with Healex, could therefore easily adapt it to SARS-CoV-2 research within a very short period of time. We have consequently been able to speed up research and facilitate collaborations between the research groups,” says Prof. Cornely.
Stefan Wiesner, the Director of Healex, adds, “The coronavirus situation demands extensive networking between numerous hospitals, research groups and funding projects. We are very pleased to have rapidly found a central solution and created a point of contact for coordinating and networking all trials in collaboration with the DZIF.”
Researchers within and outside of the DZIF can register their clinical trials and projects on the platform. In addition to providing basic information on planned research activities, the registry also records the responsible person and participating clinical trial centres for a particular research activity. Researchers and doctors can therefore use the platform for information exchange and to find potential collaboration partners or identify clinical trial centres in which to conduct their trials. Patients, relatives and other interested people can use the platform to inform themselves about clinical trials and research projects being conducted in their region and to find contacts.
The overview of current research projects and clinical trials can be found on the DZIF website
If you would like to add your clinical trial or research project to the platform, please contact Oliver Cornely.
