The pandemic caused an unprecedented alarm in 2020, forcing almost the entire world to invest large sums of money to contain its spread. Sure, we all wish it had never appeared, but far from regretting it, we can now see how these last two years of Covid-19 have changed the way medicine currently operates for the better.
Covid made vaccines fashionable
For example, thanks to high-tech vaccine research and the development of rapid antigens, science is one step closer to developing vitamin boosters for cancer, Zika or Ebola patients today than it was in 2019.
“Developing the science takes many years and needs an opportunity to be implemented. Covid-19 has provided an easier regulatory environment, with accelerated trials, so vaccine developments have been really fast.”
Deenan Pillay, Independent Sage Fellow and Professor of Virology at UCL
Let’s see it this way, before the pandemic the creation of a medicine might perfectly take a decade or more. Now only 12 months are needed, between studies and trials, to approve the use of an antigen.
This is obviously an advance in the pharmaceutical area, since more legal experimental drugs can be developed. Among them, for example, those that use synthetic antigens such as mRNA, which help educate the immune system. Something that until before the success of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines was inconceivable by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“It’s been a windfall of the pandemic because RNA and mRNA vaccine technology has been researched for at least 10 years.”
Richard Bucala, chief of rheumatology, allergy, and immunology at Yale School of Medicine.
In other words, Covid-19 has served as a catalyst for change in scientific and medical technologies. Perhaps the most important of the last decade, because it has forced scientists to put their knowledge into practice, and even surpass it.
A small contribution to existing treatments
Likewise, this flexibility has also allowed the approval of other regulatory bodies, such as saRNA. An antigen developed at Yale that might help improve the Mosquirix vaccine which is currently being used to treat malaria.
“The self-amplifying RNA targets a parasite-encoded MIF protein and kills memory cells. This allows T cells to respond critically to these microbial infections.”
David Diemeter, an immunologist at the University of Washington
In fact, it is expected that by the end of the year, Moderna develops a vaccine once morest HIV with the same mRNA technology as the Covid injection, but seeking to activate the lymph nodes instead of the antibodies.
In this sense, Covid-19 changed not only the way medicine has to deal with new diseases, but also the methods to counter existing ancient infections and finally find a cure.
Covid has taught us to prevent obesity and cancer
However, perhaps the most curious thing that SARS-CoV-2 left us is the possibility of curbing obesity, chronic fatigue and vitamin disorders. This is because doctors have focused this year on studying prolonged covid, to curb its side effects on the body; and as a result, they have obtained important findings:
- On the one hand, they discovered that there is a protein called “semaglutide”, which is twice as effective as weight loss drugs. Mainly because it reduces appetite, which might stop the development of type 2 diabetes in a couple of years.
- On the other hand, scientists confirmed that vitamin D might protect the body from Covid-19, as well as certain types of cancer, such as colon or breast cancer, if consumed regularly.
Getting closer to the digitization of medicine
Finally, Covid-19 completely changed our conception of digital medicine. Before, remote clinical advice was very mistrusted, since the patient was not seen or his physical condition was palpated. However, due to restrictions, virtual consultations have become the best form of advice in the 21st century, safe, comfortable and reliable.
“Covid has provided a vision of the best way to apply science to health problems in the future.”
David Diemeter
Not to mention that during these three years, many doctors have carried out collaborative research through web platforms to find a cure for the coronavirus. Most of them successful and in such a relatively short time, which has shown several scientists that it is possible to research diseases online to speed up their treatment.
In short, Covid-19 has left us with many new regulations, restrictions and changes, but above all, lessons that medicine can learn from. Especially when we all know that the goal in the future is to prevent a new pandemic from happening once more.
References:
How Covid changed medicine for the future https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/20/how-covid-created-a-vision-for-treating-disease
Covid and telemedicine https://www3.paho.org/ish/index.php/en/telemedicine
