CONDUCTING CLINICAL RESEARCH DURING PANDEMIC ERA: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected ongoing clinical research, as conducting clinical research is often seen as secondary to addressing the immediate health needs of patients by healthcare providers. Pandemics create operational challenges and raise scientific and ethical issues for clinical research activities. The benefit of clinical research in terms of opportunities for patients suffering from various diseases, and ability to investigate new therapies to address pandemics cannot be overlooked. This review summarizes the challenges that arise during a pandemic while conducting clinical research along with solutions for addressing these challenges.