"Anecdotal reports and data from animal studies suggest that corticosteroids and statins may dampen the inflammatory response that leads to severe illness and death from H1N1," says Dr. Marshall. "None of these drugs has been adequately studied for efficacy."

Even though no specific data show them to be effective, right now more than half of patients with severe H1N1 infection are treated with corticosteroids-hormones given to reduce swelling and decrease the body's immune response. This is based largely on the observation that corticosteroid drugs have proven useful in treating severe acute lung injury.

A recent study of patients with seasonal influenza found that those who were taking statins when they got sick had a better prognosis than those were not. These drugs are currently taken by millions of people take to help control cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease.

This accelerated "bench-to-bedside" approach is key to success against pandemic influenza and other infectious diseases, says Dr. Marshall. "Research during a pandemic poses unique ethical and logistical challenges. It usually takes years to mount a major clinical trial. But in the case of H1N1 our goal is to drastically shorten this to a period of weeks or a few months without compromising scientific and ethical integrity," he explains.

While funding is needed for the clinical trials to proceed, that time is too short to achieve this through conventional means. "Instead, we've adopted an incremental funding strategy. This means we're seeking money that will allow us to launch the trials and moving ahead with confidence that additional funds can be found," he says.

Source: St. Michael's Hospital