When will there be a Coronavirus Vaccine?

We are all hopeful that effective treatments against COVID-19 will emerge in the next 1-2 years. The first round of medicines will be replaced with superior alternatives. This is called progress. But as of now, we have no effective therapy. I have already expressed my skepticism over chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, whose popularity and usage had skyrocketed despite the absence of credible and persuasive medical evidence of efficacy, but the initial sugar-high has dampened. Clinical trials are in progress on various agents and will bring some clarity to the issue.

Scientists throughout the world are working doggedly to create an effective vaccine. This won’t be easy. The forecasts of an effective vaccine in 12-18 months may prove to be wildly optimistic. Consider that the common cold which tortures tens of millions of us every year is also caused by a coronavirus. No protective vaccine against cold viruses has been created and scientists have had decades to devise one. Apparently, it must not be easy. Keep in mind that some vaccines, such as the ‘flu shot’, only offer partial protection against a wily viral adversary. Viruses can also mutate which can render an existing vaccine much less effective. My point is that we should support and fund the creation of a vaccine – which might be our most potent anti-viral weapon – but we should be humbled by the task.

Still no vaccine for the common cold.

The overwhelmingly best strategy in the foreseeable future is to avoid infection. Increasingly, we are being instructed to wear masks, although these recommendations have evolved. Current thinking is that a decent mask protects others and the mask wearer.

I am doing my best to maintain consistent social distancing and those in my house are doing the same. Yes, it may be low tech, but it’s the best strategy we have right now. Yes, I do believe that several vaccines will emerge, but it may take longer than we have been told to expect and the ultimate safety and efficacy data may be less favorable than the initial claims. So, until then, wear a mask and keep your distance.

Comments

Why Most Doctors Choose Employment

Increasingly, physicians today are employed and most of them willingly so. The advantages of this employment model, which I will highlight below, appeal to the current and emerging generations of physicians and medical professionals. In addition, the alternatives to direct employment are scarce, although they do exist. Private practice gastroenterology practices in Cleveland, for example, are increasingly rare sightings. Another practice model is gaining ground rapidly on the medical landscape. Private equity (PE) firms have been purchasing medical practices who are in need of capital and management oversight. PE can provide services efficiently as they may be serving multiple practices and have economies of scale. While these physicians technically have authority over all medical decisions, the PE partners can exert behavioral influences on physicians which can be ethically problematic. For example, if the PE folks reduce non-medical overhead, this may very directly affe

Should Doctors Wear White Coats?

Many professions can be easily identified by their uniforms or state of dress. Consider how easy it is for us to identify a policeman, a judge, a baseball player, a housekeeper, a chef, or a soldier. There must be a reason why so many professions require a uniform. Presumably, it is to create team spirit among colleagues and to communicate a message to the clientele. It certainly doesn’t enhance professional performance. For instance, do we think if a judge ditches the robe and is wearing jeans and a T-shirt, that he or she cannot issue sage rulings? If members of a baseball team showed up dressed in comfortable street clothes, would they commit more errors or achieve fewer hits? The medical profession for most of its existence has had its own uniform. Male doctors donned a shirt and tie and all doctors wore the iconic white coat. The stated reason was that this created an aura of professionalism that inspired confidence in patients and their families. Indeed, even today

Electronic Medical Records vs Physicians: Not a Fair Fight!

Each work day, I enter the chamber of horrors also known as the electronic medical record (EMR). I’ve endured several versions of this torture over the years, monstrosities that were designed more to appeal to the needs of billers and coders than physicians. Make sense? I will admit that my current EMR, called Epic, is more physician-friendly than prior competitors, but it remains a formidable adversary. And it’s not a fair fight. You might be a great chess player, but odds are that you will not vanquish a computer adversary armed with artificial intelligence. I have a competitive advantage over many other physician contestants in the battle of Man vs Machine. I can type well and can do so while maintaining eye contact with the patient. You must think I am a magician or a savant. While this may be true, the birth of my advanced digital skills started decades ago. (As an aside, digital competence is essential for gastroenterologists.) During college, I worked as a secretary

MD Whistleblower

Search This Blog