Many amfAR-funded scientists have pivoted their work to focus on the immediate crisis of COVID-19, and amfAR plans to support them and other scientists with a variety of expertise. We have already identified two areas of research where we can move the needle in this fight. They are:

How do we stop people from dying right now?
Every day, doctors around the world are making life-and-death decisions when treating severely ill COVID-19 patients. But how do they know which is the right drug for each patient when the course of disease and responses to treatment vary so widely? amfAR aims to partner with hospitals and clinical trial sites to collect blood samples from severely ill patients receiving a variety of treatments. The goal is to conduct tests measuring 11 key factors and put that information together to create guidelines for pairing patients with the appropriate drugs.

How do we make sure we’re better prepared for the second wave of coronavirus?
We know that some people experience only mild symptoms of COVID-19 while others progress to severe disease and death. So what are the factors that influence these different outcomes? Can we predict from the outset who will need intensive monitoring and care? amfAR researchers aim to determine what protects people from progressing to severe disease, and how to transfer those protections to people at higher risk.

I want to assure you that amfAR remains firmly committed to HIV research and to finding a cure for the 38 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS. That’s as true today as it was three months ago. But we cannot sit on the sidelines during this crisis. We must bring our unique expertise to this fight. Please join us and help end this pandemic as quickly as possible by rushing a donation to the amfAR Fund to Fight COVID-19 now.

Rowena Johnston, Ph.D.
Vice President and Director, Research