Objectives
The outcome of well-performed clinical research is essential for evidence-based patient
management during pandemics. However, conducting clinical research amidst a pandemic
requires researchers to balance clinical and research demands. We seek to understand the
values, experiences, and beliefs of physicians working at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform clinical research planning. We aim to understand whether pandemic
settings affect physician comfort with research practices, and how physician experiences
shape their understanding of research in a pandemic setting.
Methods
A survey tool was adapted to evaluate familiarity and comfort with research during a pandemic. A cross-sectional, online questionnaire was distributed across Canadian research
networks early in the COVID-19 outbreak. The survey was administered between March
11th and 17th, 2020, during a time of local transmission but prior to the surge of cases. We
aimed to recruit into the survey physicians in infectious disease and critical care research
networks across Canada.
Results
Of the 133 physician respondents, 131 (98%) considered it important to conduct clinical
research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were more accepting of adaptations
to the research process in during a pandemic compared to in a non-pandemic setting, including conducting research with deferred consent (χ2 = 8.941, 95% CI: -0.264, -0.085, p =
0.003), using non-identifiable observational data with a waiver of consent with a median
score of 97 out of 100 (IQR: 79.25–100) vs median 87 out of 100 (IQR: 63–79) (95% CI: -12.43, 0.054, p = 0.052). The majority felt that research quality is not compromised during
pandemics.
Conclusions
Physicians consider it important to conduct research during a pandemic, highlighting the
need to expedite research activities in pandemic settings. Respondents were more accepting of adaptations to the research process for research conducted during a pandemic, compared to that conducted in its absence of a pandemic.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPediatrics, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearche