Until now, few large-scale clinical trials have evaluated treatments for patients hospitalised with influenza. However, the features of the RECOVERY trial that made it such a success against COVID-19 – including its streamlined design, large scale, and practical integration into routine healthcare – make it well-placed to also improve the care of severe influenza patients. Yet we have no treatments that have been proven to improve outcomes in hospitalised patients. We are now expanding this approach to tackle the long-term challenge of influenza.’The 2022–2023 influenza season marked the return of influenza virus activity at almost pre-pandemic levels in the EU/EEA countries, highlighting an urgent need for assessment of flu treatments. RECOVERY’s assessment of treatments for flu is funded by Flu Lab, based in the United States.
