Stop looking for a silver bullet. Start mixing the Long COVID cocktail. - The Sick Times

This article by Jon Douglas, a Microsoft technology professional and Long COVID advocate, argues that treating Long COVID requires combination therapies rather than single-drug approaches. Drawing parallels to successful HIV treatment breakthroughs, Douglas explains how Long COVID involves multiple biological mechanisms including viral persistence, immune dysfunction, and inflammation that need simultaneous targeting. Despite spending over $20,000 on treatments and facing bureaucratic obstacles accessing monoclonal antibodies, he advocates for systemic change in research approaches and healthcare delivery.

• Long COVID mirrors complex diseases like HIV and cancer that require combination treatments targeting multiple biological pathways simultaneously
• Current single-drug trials have shown disappointing results, but secondary analyses suggest promise for tailored combination approaches based on specific patient biomarkers
• Major barriers include pharmaceutical hesitancy, regulatory uncertainty, inadequate government funding strategies, and prohibitive treatment costs
• Successful progress requires collaboration between patients, doctors, researchers, policymakers, and pharmaceutical companies to advance combination therapy trials and improve access