In 2020, all but one of our most popular research briefings were, unsurprisingly, on the topic of COVID-19. And the articles in our most-read lists show just how rapidly our knowledge on the virus has grown over just a few months — from discoveries about characteristics of the virus itself, to the very first trial results on the Oxford/AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 COVID-19 vaccine in July.
It’s been an exciting year for scientific research, and one that’ll go down in the history books, with vaccines being developed in a matter of months, rather than years, and studies having an impact on clinical practice before they have even been published.
And The Pharmaceutical Journal has been dedicated to keeping up with, and reporting on, the most significant findings, in our research briefings and across all of our content types.
Here are your favourite research briefings from 2020:
10. Smoking linked to progression of symptoms in COVID-19, study suggests
9. Disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME populations not explained by cardiometabolic factors, vitamin D or deprivation, researchers find
8. ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine induces immune response and is safe in humans, early trial data suggests
7. Neurological symptoms common in COVID-19 patients, researchers say
6. Statins linked to lower risk of death from COVID-19, study suggests
5. SARS-CoV-2 can survive on some surfaces for days, research reveals
4. Trials of HPV vaccine may have overestimated its efficacy, study finds
3. COVID-19 death rate under 1% when unconfirmed cases considered, researchers estimate
2. Patients with mild cases of COVID-19 may shed virus for up to eight days after symptoms resolve
1. Corticosteroids should be used with caution in patients with COVID-19, researchers say
Still popular from 2019
- Enzyme mouth spray could shorten cold duration
- Potential interaction between diuretics and laxatives found
- Antidepressant treatment could assist weight loss
- Combination immunotherapy for melanoma improves long-term survival rates
- Oral spray delivers vitamin D as effectively as capsules, research suggests
Get in touch
Which topics would you like to see summarised in 2021? Send your ideas to julia.robinson@rpharms.com
