Advance notice of subsidy round FMS knowledge gaps in the field of treatment COVID-19 (in Dutch)

At the beginning of March 2021, ZonMw will publish the new subsidy call for treatment at COVID-19. The purpose of this call is to answer knowledge gaps identified in the Knowledge Agenda COVID19 of the Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS) that relate to treatments. 

COVID-19 knowledge gaps relevant to this call are:

1. What is the frequency and what are the consequences of myocardial damage with COVID-19 and which interventions can we use to prevent short and long term myocardial damage?
2. What is a good algorithm for safely removing someone from isolation after COVID-19?
3. Does chest CT or PET / CT add value to clinical parameters for selection (and timing) of the most effective therapy for COVID-19, and to what extent is it predictive of chronic lung damage?
4. What is the association of frailty and biological aging processes with disease course, mortality and functional outcomes in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the elderly?
5. Is the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) also predictive of outcomes for patients aged 70 and older living at home with a COVID-19 infection?
6. What is the natural course of anosmia (lack of sense of smell) in the context of COVID-19 and can this be favorably influenced with (local) corticosteroids?

COVID-19 program specific relevance criteria:

• The research provides the urgently needed knowledge to answer the knowledge gap described in the COVID-19 Knowledge Agenda.
• The research is of great importance because it could impact the treatment of COVID-19 patients during the pandemic and its aftermath; or contribute to better preparedness for a possible next pandemic.
• The application must convincingly substantiate that research leads to implementable (interim) results in the short term (at least during the pandemic and also for the long term)
• The Netherlands is in a unique position to do this, whether it concerns research in which we can add value from the Netherlands to that which has already been deployed internationally;
• The research does not already take place elsewhere;
• A competent research group is available to tackle this in the short term (feasibility), unless there are compelling reasons such as obtaining an METC statement.