Does the Evidence Support the Hype? COVID-19 and Antiviral Treatments

The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic globally is generating considerable interest in options to prevent infection and minimize the impact if infection occurs. Pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure treatment with a group of drugs called antivirals, sometimes in combination with an antibiotic, have been the subject of public debate and, at times, significant media reporting. Join us on Friday, May 29, 2020 for the evidence on two specific antiviral treatments that have been widely discussed — hydroxychloroquine (with or without the antibiotic azithromycin) and remdesivir. You’ll also learn about the clinical trials underway on the use of antivirals in preventing and treating COVID-19.

Speakers:
Dr. Gordon H. Guyatt
McMaster University

Dr. Tarry Ahuja
CADTH

Heather Logan
CADTH

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Dr. Gordon Guyatt is a distinguished professor at McMaster University. He coined the term evidence-based medicine in 1990 and has since advocated for evidence-based approaches to medical decision-making. He has published more than 1,200 papers in peer-reviewed journals cited more than 135,000 times. He is one of world’s 20 most-cited scientists. Recently, he led  a practice guideline regarding COVID-19 treatment and three associated systematic reviews that were published in CMAJ.

Tarry Ahuja, PhD (Neuroscience), is currently the Manager of Program Development (Drug) and leading the real-world evidence initiatives at CADTH — the leading health technology assessment agency for Canada. Prior to this, he was a senior medical, real-world evidence scientist for Eli Lilly, for Europe and Canada. Tarry is currently a lecturer at Carleton University on the biological foundations of addictions and on health psychology. He graduated with a PhD in Neuroscience, with a specialty in electrophysiology and pharmacology, from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He has worked for more than 10 years in the hospital setting in the area of sleep disorders and he has more than 10 years of clinical research in the areas of otolaryngology, Alzheimer disease, and stroke and ischemia.

Heather Logan is the CADTH Senior Advisor for Pharmaceutical Reviews (Acting) and was the Vice-President of Pharmaceutical Reviews for a twelve-month period between 2018 and 2019. Heather has more than 20 years’ experience working with local, provincial, and national decision-makers, and is known for her facilitative leadership style and strong commitment to delivering results. With a background as a Nursing Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, as a health care administrator, and as a systems leader, Heather brings a unique and collaborative perspective to complex subject areas in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. Heather has an MHSc and a BScN from the University of Toronto.