The University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine is seeking recently diagnosed COVID-19 patients for a 21-day study.

The study is led by Cecilia Shikuma, JABSOM professor of medicine and lead investigator, and researchers hope to find evidence that taking telmisartan, a medication used for blood pressure control, will prevent harmful effects of the virus.

Participants will be placed on either a placebo (sugar pill) or telmisartan.

“Finding an effective therapy for COVID-19 is very important. In fact, it may be more important or as important as finding a vaccine. Because you do not want to get ill and end up in the hospital,” Shikuma said in a statement.

Shikuma recommends that those who wish to participate in the trial call as soon as they are diagnosed with COVID-19.

“One of the good things about entering a clinical trial is that your clinical status will be monitored by a group of very experienced doctors and nurses,” she said.

For more information, contact Cris Milne at 692-1335 or email cmilne@hawaii.edu.