Take part in groundbreaking research to test drugs to combat coronavirus

Researchers at the University of Oxford, in partnership with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), are trying to find safe and effective coronavirus treatments to help people to recover at home. 

The PANORAMIC trial aims to find antiviral treatments that reduce hospital admission and speed up recovery for people with coronavirus, who are at home and in the early stages of infection. 

The first antiviral treatment to be investigated through the trial will be molnupiravir (brand name Lagevrio).

Find out more about the trial and how to take part on the PANORAMIC website.

Why we’re encouraging people with Parkinson’s to take part

We’re keen that people living with Parkinson’s are aware of the opportunity to take part in this study. It could help protect them personally as well as help to find treatments that will help others.

If you get coronavirus, taking part in this study could give you access to drugs that prevent you from developing serious symptoms and needing to go to hospital. 

It’s important that people with underlying conditions like Parkinson’s take part in the study so that the researchers can investigate the benefits of the drugs in people who are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

Who can take part?

The researchers will seek to enrol over 20,000 people in this important study. 

To be eligible to take part you need to: 

• have a positive PCR or lateral flow test result plus ongoing coronavirus symptoms
• be over the age of 50 or aged 18 to 49 with an underlying condition like Parkinson’s.

The study is open to participants across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What’s involved in taking part?

To assess the effectiveness of the treatment compared to standard care, half of the participants will receive the antiviral treatment plus standard care. The other half will receive standard care.

People can take part from their own homes, without needing to visit a clinic or hospital.

For those chosen to receive an antiviral treatment, medicines will be sent to people’s homes from an online pharmacy by courier.

Participants will keep a daily diary for 28 days through the PANORAMIC website or receive a phone call from the trial team on days 7, 14 and 28 to report their symptoms and any NHS care they have needed.