€40 million long COVID fund runs out as cures remain distant

The 40 million euros fund for long COVID research is nearly depleted, according to a NOS survey of doctors, researchers, patient organizations, and funding institutions. Scientists can submit proposals for the final grants until the end of the year, but actual cures for long COVID remain far off, and there is no clear path to substantial funding for continued studies.

Nearly half a million people in the Netherlands suffer from long COVID symptoms. Some are unable to work, cannot exercise, or have sleep apnea. For nearly 100,000, symptoms are so severe that they are bedridden to varying degrees.

Scientists warn that researchers who have already gained substantial knowledge may shift their focus to other diseases if new funding is not provided.

“The result would naturally be a loss of expertise and knowledge,” said Niels Eijkelkamp, professor of neuro-immunology at UMC Utrecht. “It would be a waste of the millions of euros in public money already invested. We would only be able to make limited progress on promising leads to uncover the causes of long COVID.”

Shortly after the pandemic began, politicians paid attention to these patients. Five years later, that attention has largely faded, NOS noted.

Patients, many of whom have been seriously ill for years, watch in despair. The same is true for people with similar conditions, including ME/CFS, Q-fever fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease, and post-sepsis syndrome.

Stella Heemskerk, representing Erasmus MC, studied 644 people with Q-fever fatigue syndrome for four years to determine the epidemic’s impact on their lives. The study concluded that the impact is enormous. Half of those who worked before becoming ill never returned to work, and nearly three-quarters suffered financial setbacks. Caregiving is required, putting additional pressure on family members who sometimes devote all their time to support the sick.