What is Long COVID?
Long COVID, also called post-COVID conditions, is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as health problems lasting four or more weeks after first getting COVID-19. It is estimated that nearly one in five American adults who have had COVID-19 are impacted by some form of long COVID. Patients suffering from long COVID may experience a range of symptoms affecting the lungs, including trouble breathing, coughing and shortness of breath. Other symptoms patients have reported include memory or concentration issues, depression or anxiety and even dizziness or joint pain.
Because long COVID symptoms can affect several body systems, individual care should be tailored by a health care provider. Although there are no treatments yet approved specifically for long COVID, health care providers may recommend certain treatments based on a patient’s specific symptoms.
How can I avoid long COVID and what is the biopharmaceutical industry doing to combat it?
First and foremost, primary COVID vaccination and boosters are critical to protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying because of COVID, and early data suggests they may also lower the risk of developing long COVID. The biopharmaceutical industry continues to research, develop and manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, including the newly FDA-authorized bivalent boosters. There are also a number of treatment options available, including oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies that can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis for patients with weakened immune systems. Studies are also underway to understand if currently available COVID-19 treatments could also be used to treat long-COVID.
What is being done to better understand long COVID?
There are many questions still unanswered about long COVID. However, new and ongoing clinical trials are underway to test potential therapies for long COVID symptoms. Currently, there are 39 active clinical trials globally investigating long COVID treatments — part of the nearly 1,300 global clinical trials under way exploring products to fight COVID-19. Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the “RECOVER Initiative” to build on existing research by biopharmaceutical companies and others to learn more about long COVID symptoms. This kind of initiative is important to growing the toolbox of treatment options available for clinicians to be able to offer their patients hope.
Furthermore, as we continue to learn more about the novel coronavirus, biopharmaceutical researchers are also working to identify and uncover biomarkers, or additional science-driven, fit-for-purpose measurements, to better understand and address long COVID symptoms.
Are the vaccines safe?
Yes. COVID-19 vaccines are subject to the same regulatory standards, set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as other vaccines and biological products; meaning they meet all the same approval or emergency use authorization standards as other vaccines. Biopharmaceutical companies are subject to the FDA’s robust human research subject protection requirements throughout clinical development of the vaccines. And FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements help ensure consistent quality manufacturing of vaccines and other products. To this end, a cohort of biopharmaceutical companies developing COVID-19 vaccines have pledged “to make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals the top priority in development of the first COVID-19 vaccines.” Moreover, detailed information on FDA’s review and authorization/approval of each vaccine is available on the FDA’s website and individual companies have taken steps for additional transparency.
As we continue to fight COVID-19, it is critical everyone who is able to get vaccinated does so. Further, as we approach flu season, patients should talk to their health care provider about getting a flu shot. Annual flu vaccines are a critical tool to help prevent or diminish the impact of the influenza virus and keep individuals safe and healthy. Masks, hand washing and social distancing will also reduce the risk of contracting influenza. America’s biopharmaceutical companies play a leading role in preventing and reducing the impact of influenza by developing and manufacturing hundreds of millions of doses of the flu vaccine every year.
Protect yourself and protect your community. Get vaccinated and take precautions. Learn more at PhRMA.org/Coronavirus.
PhRMA’s Word of the Month series looks at issues important to the biopharmaceutical ecosystem and spotlights opportunities to create a better health care system that helps patients make appropriate decisions about their health. Check out the full series here.
Mike Ybarra
Michael Ybarra, M.D., is an emergency physician and Chief Medical Officer at PhRMA. He also serves as Senior Vice President in Advocacy and Strategic Alliances. In these roles, he leads PhRMA’s stakeholder engagement and strategic partnerships on federal and international health policy issues. He is PhRMA’s liaison representative to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and is the co-convener of PhRMA’s R&D Leadership Forum. Dr. Ybarra continues to see patients clinically in the emergency department at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Follow Mike on LinkedIn and X.
Mike Ybarra
Why smart vaccine policy matters
New study: HPV vaccination helps prevent cervical cancer deaths
New research reinforces the importance of hepatitis B vaccination at birth
World Immunization Week: Putting preventable diseases in the past
ICYMI: Measles resurgence could cost U.S. nearly $8 billion over five years
Why shifting childhood vaccines to “shared clinical decision-making” puts kids at risk
Changes to America’s childhood vaccine schedule fail to protect our nation's kids
New study: Measles setbacks harm health and America’s economy
Why the hepatitis B vaccine matters
Vaccines and autism: Decades of scientific evidence find no link
Why the vaccine injury program matters
Recognizing the importance of vaccination for American health and security
Answering common questions on mRNA technology
What to know about vaccine ingredients: Aluminum and thimerosal
World Immunization Week: Highlighting the importance of vaccines for public health
What you need to know: Measles and the MMR vaccine
Improved treatments continue to lead to declining cancer mortality rates in the U.S.
Preventing and fighting disease: A look at the biopharmaceutical progress made for patients in 2024
Recognizing the value of disease prevention with Dr. Len Friedland from GSK
Leveraging the power of vaccines to prevent antimicrobial resistance
From the emergency department to the CDC Advisory Committee: Key takeaways from ACIP’s recent meeting
The Patient Perspective: Vaccines
How to protect your children’s health this school year
New Report: Vaccines continue to drive improved health outcomes
Showcasing the promise of biopharma at ASCO 2024
World Vaccine Congress: Building on vaccine success
New poll: Americans agree that expanding the TRIPS waiver will harm U.S. global manufacturing and innovation leadership
WHO Pandemic Agreement offers opportunities and risks for American innovators
New Report: 1,600 cancer treatments and vaccines in clinical development
Word of the Month: The Bayh-Dole Act
What you should know about protecting your health this fall
Word of the Month: AMR
What you need to know: COVID-19 public health emergency is over, but ideological attacks on IP remain
Key considerations as Congress works towards PAHPA reauthorization
A conversation with Dr. Mike Ybarra on the current state of COVID-19
What they are saying: Experts reinforce that TRIPS waiver expansion is harmful and unnecessary
PhRMA provides comments and testimony to USITC investigation on COVID-19 medicines and the TRIPS Agreement
Celebrating the success of the COVID-19 vaccines, and looking to the future
PhRMA submits comments to OSTP on enhancing clinical trial diversity
What we’ve learned from three years of fighting COVID-19
U.S. must address IP and market access barriers abroad to protect American innovation
Word of the Month: What is TRIPS?
What you should know about RSV
TRIPS waiver expansion risks public health
Expanding the WTO intellectual property waiver will hurt American jobs
Protecting against influenza: A conversation with David Ross, Vice President, Commercial Operations, North America, CSL Seqirus
Partnerships are driving global COVID-19 treatment access
The dangers of expanding the TRIPS waiver
Word of the Month: 340B covered entity
ICYMI: New research builds upon growing body of evidence on value of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines
ICYMI: PhRMA’s Ubl pens op-ed on IP waiver for COVID-19 technologies
Increase in drug-resistant superbugs during COVID-19 highlights need for policy reforms to address antimicrobial resistance
Word of the Month: Biomarkers and surrogate endpoints
COVID-19 vaccines and treatments helped save millions of lives and billions in health care costs
ICYMI: Antimicrobial resistance spotlighted as growing public health threat
Intellectual Property waiver on COVID-19 innovation is unnecessary and harmful
ICYMI: PhRMA CEO Stephen J. Ubl spotlights lessons learned during COVID-19
ICYMI: PhRMA COO Lori Reilly spotlights efforts to improve health care in 2022 and beyond
A conversation with Barry Greene, CEO of Sage Therapeutics
ICYMI: New resource catalogs biopharmaceutical industry lessons learned from COVID-19
New Data: COVID-19 vaccine global production capacity projected to exceed 20 billion doses this year
What you need to know about newly authorized COVID-19 antiviral treatments
Guest post: Joining forces to combat the COVID-19 mental health crisis
Guest Blog: COVID-19 vaccines are the key to keeping kids healthy
Protecting U.S. innovation abroad to support economic and pandemic recovery
ICYMI: New report demonstrates growing global impact of antimicrobial resistance
Navigating the patient experience in the time of COVID-19
Global COVID-19 vaccination matters now and for the future
Understanding breakthrough COVID-19 infections
PhRMA submission to 2022 National Trade Estimate Report underscores need for pro-innovation U.S. trade policy to combat COVID-19
The important role of antivirals in the fight against COVID-19
Understanding Long COVID-19
A year and a half later: The biopharmaceutical industry remains committed to beating COVID-19
The impact of monoclonal antibodies and COVID-19 recovery
Recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month
Driving further innovation is critical to global vaccine equity
Supporting country readiness to boost global vaccine access
Ensuring global vaccine equity requires eliminating trade and regulatory barriers
Setting the record straight: Addressing common misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine
Increasing global access to vaccines by optimizing production
Guest post: Retired medics return to the field to take on vaccine delivery and disaster relief
Guest Post: A patient’s story of the long-term health impacts of COVID-19
Dose sharing as a part of the COVID-19 global vaccine equity strategy
Promoting global vaccine equity while protecting innovation
Data shows COVID-19 vaccines are creating a pathway to a strong U.S. recovery
PhRMA awards $75,000 to fund initiatives to reduce health inequities
More than 800 medicines are in development for diseases that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic communities
Americans 12 years of age and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines
PhRMA hosts first stakeholder workshop on clinical trial diversity
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Barry Greene, CEO of Sage Therapeutics
A year later: Reflections on the meaning of equity
ICYMI: PhRMA president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl joins other industry leaders for a conversation on COVID-19 vaccines with Axios
Supporting India during the devastating coronavirus surge
New polling shows Americans are sounding the alarm on the TRIPS IP waiver
The Biden Administration allows politics to upend a pragmatic pandemic response
PhRMA CAREs Grant request for proposals: Addressing inequities in access to COVID-19 testing, therapeutics and vaccines
Ron Busby, Sr., President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. on improving vaccine confidence in community
Reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month
American leadership on innovation policy is essential to global health progress
Patient safety is at the heart of COVID-19 vaccine R&D
Data shows that Americans are relying on vaccines to get us through the pandemic
ICYMI: New CBO Report highlights biopharmaceutical leadership in the development of new treatments and cures
Diversifying clinical trials and fighting disease requires equity and trust
Building confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine through education
ICYMI: WSJ showcases breakthrough science of COVID-19 vaccines and implications for future medicines
Intellectual property is the key to vaccine development, manufacturing and technology sharing
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Paul Perreault, CEO and Managing Director of CSL
Fighting variants of COVID-19
ICYMI: Report provides actionable recommendations to strengthen America’s preparedness and future health crises response
Top five issues voters want addressed in the administration’s first 100 days
The latest: What they are saying: Intellectual property protections vital to COVID-19 research, development and manufacturing
Lessons learned from COVID-19: The way we develop new medicines is changing
Growing trend: Increased vaccine confidence
Election insights: Common ground areas to address Americans’ health care concerns
Paper finds gaps in health data are a barrier to health equity
New research shows hotspots of inequity relate to increased COVID-19 hospitalizations
American biopharmaceutical manufacturing: Fueling economic growth now and for years to come
Election insights: Voter priorities in the states
Strengthening a culture dedicated to patients and equity: A conversation with Percival Barretto-Ko, President of Astellas US
Insights from the election: Meeting voters where they are on health care
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Kabir K. Nath, President & CEO of Otsuka North America Pharmaceutical Bu
Guest post: How COVID-19 underscores the importance of public confidence in vaccines
Guest Post: Bringing our best to the fight against COVID-19
An unprecedented year and the road ahead: A conversation with Giovanni Caforio, PhRMA Chairman and CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb
Deep dive: The issues that drove the 2020 vote
Understanding the emergency use authorization process for COVID-19 vaccines
ICYMI: Addressing health inequities: Biopharmaceutical companies are rising to the occasion
U.S. trade policy must prioritize American biopharmaceutical innovation and patient access
Voters want to address the real drivers of health care costs for patients and the system
Proposed change to Medicaid line extension definition ignores importance of critical improvements in treatments
Flu Season 2020: Why it’s time to talk to your doctor today about getting a flu shot
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Alexander Hardy, CEO of Genentech
Leading researchers to spotlight the critical role of biopharmaceutical R&D
Why the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry is leading the charge against COVID-19
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Ramona Sequeira, President of Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Albert Bourla, Chairman & CEO of Pfizer, Inc.
Guest Post: How proactivity and planning helped Novartis ensure a stable supply of medicines during COVID-19
Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi
The 2020 We Work for Health Champion Awards showcase the best of our industry
Summer reading in the age of COVID-19
Supporting access to vaccines for Part D beneficiaries
The patient perspective navigating COVID-19
ICYMI: The latest as America’s biopharmaceutical companies work to beat COVID-19
Executive order threatens R&D when we need it most to fight COVID-19
The latest: What they are saying: intellectual property protections critical as we work to defeat COVID-19
New report shows more than 400 medicines and vaccines in development to tackle infectious diseases, including COVID-19
R&D Focus: 5 things to know about the biopharmaceutical research ecosystem
PhRMA’s Lori Reilly joined CSG to discuss the industry’s response to COVID-19 and what it means for states
New initiative to bridge the gap on antimicrobial innovation
Guest Post: Pride started with protest: Combatting the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism this Pride Month
How biopharmaceutical researchers are ensuring COVID-19 vaccines will be safe and effective
In combating COVID-19, science is how we get back to normal
Guest Post: Takeda seeks ‘new normal’ for cancer research during the COVID-19 pandemic
Guest post: A post-pandemic crisis: The mental toll on America
Guest Post: From lab to jab: Vaccine development to prevent COVID-19
PhRMA awards $100,000 to fund projects that address health inequalities
The latest: What they are saying: Intellectual property protections critical as we work to defeat COVID-19
What scientific experts are saying about vaccine safety
Guest Post: Honoring Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in the age of COVID-19
IP Explained: Intellectual property system working to combat COVID-19
Guest Post: What will we learn from COVID-19?
Clinical Trials Awareness Week: Recognizing unsung heroes in medical research
What they are saying: Intellectual property protections are critical as we work to defeat COVID-19
Guest Post: Preserving clinical research sites during the coronavirus pandemic
Observing National Minority Health Month in the age of COVID-19
New report shows nearly 260 vaccines in development, including dozens for COVID-19
Lilly, Merck and Pfizer empower team members to volunteer on COVID-19 frontlines
Guest post: Securing the health care supply chain during COVID-19
To the millions affected by COVID-19
New infographic: How we are fighting COVID-19
Merck’s Dr. Julie Gerberding on the threat of antimicrobial resistance and COVID-19
The biopharmaceutical industry’s unique role in responding to COVID-19
ICYMI: America’s biopharmaceutical companies are working 'around the clock' to beat coronavirus
COVID-19 Response: Supporting the frontline
Guest post: Looking out for the invisibly vulnerable in the time of COVID-19
America’s biopharmaceutical companies are working around the clock to beat coronavirus
Guest post: Takeda’s efforts to address COVID-19
ICYMI: America’s biopharmaceutical companies are taking on COVID-19
ICYMI: Continued biopharmaceutical action on COVID-19
Helping those affected by the coronavirus
Why vaccines work in the fight against measles and other infectious diseases
Medicare Monday: Helping beneficiaries access vaccines
New report and event examine the new era of vaccines
Medicare Monday: Strengthening access to vaccines for seniors
Word of the Month: Long COVID
Coronavirus
Vaccines
Word of the Month
Word of the Month: Long COVID
Word of the Month: Long COVID