Telehealth Provider, Research Institute to Study COVID-19 Rebound

After receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), eMed and Scripps Research Translational Institute announced an at-home study that aims to assess patient responses to COVID-19 treatment, particularly the viral rebound many patients have experienced after taking Paxlovid.

Created by Pfizer, Paxlovid is an oral anti-viral pill intended to treat COVID-19. Despite the efficacy of the medication, many patients wound up experiencing symptoms and testing positive after taking it.

In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that coronavirus recurrence while on Paxlovid is possible.

According to Pfizer, the frequency of rebound among those taking Paxlovid often falls between 1 and 2 percent. 

To examine the phenomenon more closely, at-home on-demand telehealth provider eMed joined forces with Scripps Research Translational Institute to examine patient responses to Paxlovid through a telehealth kit.

Specifically, researchers plan to enroll up to 800 patients who test positive for COVID-19 and use eMed’s Telehealth Kit to test and receive an evaluation for Paxlovid. Researchers will monitor all participants over a two-week period using at-home rapid tests provided through the kit.

"The importance of understanding how frequently people who are treated for COVID-19 recover completely or rebound back to virus positivity cannot be overstated," said Michael Mina, MD, PhD, an infectious disease epidemiologist, immunologist, and physician who recently left his post as a professor at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School to become eMed's chief science officer.

"Effective treatments for COVID-19 are among the most important tools humans have to get out of this pandemic. Knowing who stands to benefit the most from treatment, and knowing if rebound of symptoms is associated with different health outcomes or onward transmission is of massive individual and public health importance,” continued Mina in the press release.

Initial study results will likely be released in the coming weeks, according to the press release.

Studies to assess the effects of treatment methods are common and aim to enhance care for various conditions.

In August, researchers from Northwestern University conducted a study that aimed to determine the ability of an Apple Watch to lower the need for blood-thinning medication. Researchers noted that enhancing care for the millions of Americans with atrial fibrillation is critical. Though blood-thinning medications are known to be effective, they can have significant side effects.

The researchers plan on monitoring patient heart activity using an Apple Watch. This would allow them to recognize abnormal patterns, leading to the use of medication only when necessary.

Another study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in May found that remote patient monitoring was not effective in reducing hospitalizations among heart failure patients. The study results provide potential strategies to enhance RPM programs in the future, researchers said.