Much is still unknown about the precise causes of post-COVID and the nature of the symptoms is also not yet fully understood. There is also a great need for effective treatments that can alleviate or remedy both the underlying causes and the symptoms of post-COVID. That is why research is being conducted in the Netherlands. An important part of this consists of 22 studies that are being conducted within the ZonMw program. These have now been clearly and concisely summarized in public versions. These public summaries provide insight into what exactly is being investigated, which questions are central and how this ultimately contributes to better care for people with post-COVID.
Research within the Post-COVID Network Netherlands
The 22 studies are part of the work of Post-COVID Network Netherlands (PCNN), in which researchers, healthcare professionals, patients and various organisations collaborate. The network aims to develop and disseminate more knowledge, to enable faster diagnosis and treatment and to improve care for people with post-COVID as a whole. The studies focus on various themes: from the underlying mechanisms to diagnosis, treatment and care optimisation. Their content is based on questions from the Long COVID knowledge agenda and on signals from people with post-COVID themselves, collected via patient organisations such as PostCovid NL and Long Covid Nederland.
Making knowledge accessible and usable
The PCNN not only conducts research, but also ensures that knowledge from that research quickly reaches the people who need to continue with it: healthcare providers, patients and relatives. This information is shared via the websites of C-support (for patients and professionals) and PostCovid NL (for patients). On our website and that of PostCovid NL you can already find short interviews with the researchers of a number of studies. Information about the ongoing studies will be supplemented in the coming period. Via the new own website of the PCNN information is also available for patients, researchers and healthcare professionals.
Patient participation
C-support works together with various experts by experience within and outside the PCNN platform. This is because we are convinced that we need the input of patients. Not only to properly organize our own services, but also to properly organize research and care for post-COVID patients.
