ISARIC 4C - Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium: against COVID-19 Hub
https://isaric4c.net/
ISARIC 4C (Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium)
We are a UK-wide consortium of doctors and scientists committed to answering urgent questions about COVID-19 quickly, openly, and for the benefit of all.
how long are people infectious, and what body fluids are infectious?
what puts people at higher risk of severe illness?
what is the best way to diagnose the disease?
who should we treat early with drugs, and which drugs cause harm?
does the immune system in some patients do more harm than good?
what other infections(such as pneumonia or flu) happen at the same time?
The UK needs a coordinated response to answer these questions as quickly as possible. Over the last 8 years we have been preparing for such a major outbreak worldwide International Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Consortium Clinical Characterisation Protocol; our team deployed immediately and has been collecting data and samples since the first cases were reported in the UK.
Funding
ISARIC 4C is funded by a grant from UKRI (MRC) with a total value of £5.9M to JK Baillie (PI), University of Edinburgh; MG Semple, University of Liverpool; and P Openshaw, Imperial College London (co-leads). Full list of investigators and specific deliverables.
Plan
We are funded to obtain serial samples from 300 cases and single samples for a further 1000. A full list of samples can be found in the UK clinical characterisation protocol. This is a generic, sleeping protocol that is designed to give fast responses with global harmonisation during outbreaks.
We will share samples to get answers as fast as possible. We will not end this outbreak sitting on a biobank; our intention is to use every drop of every sample, now, to have the biggest possible impact on the COVID-19 crisis. Any investigators with the ability to contribute can access our data and samples. The ISARIC-4C study will provide a foundation for other studies, such as clinical trials of new treatments, to help better understand the best way to use interventions.
Landscape of urgent UK-wide research in COVID-19.
ISARIC 4C is one the UK-wide NIHR Urgent Public Health Priority studies for hospitalised patients with COVID-19
