Biomarkers, Pandemics and Host Response Treatment

Biomarkers for the COVID-19 pandemic and other forms of severe critical illness are beneficially affected by generic drugs – statins, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and metformin. These drugs are widely available and affordable in low- and middle-income-countries (LMICs). Considered together, they are the only practical way that poor people in these countries might be able to reduce pandemic mortality. Combination treatment with these drugs might not affect pandemic viruses but by modifying the host response to infection they might save lives. Sadly, WHO and major foundations have not been interested in testing this idea. If combination treatment could be shown to work, it could have a remarkable effect on LMIC mortality due to any pandemic virus.