CADTH Weekly COVID-19 Update

CADTH is committed to supporting Canada’s health care decision-makers through this challenging and uncertain time.

We’ve collected relevant information about COVID-19 from CADTH and other respected organizations, and published it on our CADTH COVID-19 web portal. The information on this site is being updated daily to reflect the rapidly changing and growing state of the international scientific evidence related to COVID-19.

The following is a summary of the most recent materials posted to our COVID-19 portal.
 
Infection Prevention and Control Measures in Mental Health Facilities: Guidelines

• We searched for evidence-based guidelines regarding infection prevention or control measures in mental health treatment facilities.
• No relevant evidence-based guidelines were identified; therefore, no conclusions can be drawn based on this review.
• A list of other potentially relevant citations can be found in the report’s Appendix. 

Plastic or Reusable Aerochambers in Multi-Dose Inhalers: Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines

• We searched the evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of plastic or reusable aerochambers in multi-dose inhalers for patients requiring medication administration, as well as any evidence-based guidelines on the topic.
• No relevant literature or evidence-based guidelines were identified; therefore, no conclusions could be drawn.

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, With or Without Azithromycin, for COVID-19: A Brief Overview

• Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been identified as potential treatments for COVID-19, with some clinical trials combining chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine with the antibacterial azithromycin.
• There is currently no evidence regarding the efficacy of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for the prevention of COVID-19.
• With respect to treating COVID-19, the current evidence related to the clinical efficacy of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, used with or without azithromycin, has major limitations, and is associated with inconsistent and uncertain findings.

Remdesivir

• Remdesivir is an antiviral medication with activity against ribonucleic acid viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19.
• Remdesivir is not approved for use in any country. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of remdesivir are ongoing.
• The use of remdesivir for patients with COVID-19 outside of an approved clinical trial is not recommended at this time.

Portable or Temporary Negative Pressure Rooms for Tuberculosis: Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines

• This report aimed to identify the available evidence on the clinical effectiveness of portable or temporary negative pressure rooms and related evidence-based guidelines for the management of people with active tuberculosis.
• The review included a search for relevant studies on COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
• As no relevant studies or guidelines on this topic were identified, no conclusions can be drawn based on this review.

Additional Materials

• Choosing Wisely Canada Recommendations — COVID-19 (Choosing Wisely Canada)
• Household Cleaning Products, Hand Soaps, and Body Soaps (COVID-19) (Health Canada)

CAN’T FIND WHAT YOU NEED? LET US KNOW.
Canadian ministries and departments of health, publicly funded organizations responsible for health service delivery, and clinical society stakeholders are encouraged to submit a request or contact their CADTH Liaison Officer. We’re here to help.