SARS-CoV-2 proteins and anti-COVID-19 drugs induce lytic reactivation of an oncogenic virus

An outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory disease, has infected over 34,000,000 people since the end of 2019, killed over 1,000,000, and caused worldwide social and economic disruption. Due to the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection to host cells and its pathogenesis remain largely unclear, there are currently no antiviral drugs with proven efficacy nor are there vaccines for its prevention. Besides severe respiratory and systematic symptoms, several comorbidities may also increase risk of fatal disease outcome. Therefore, it is required to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on pre-existing diseases of patients, such as cancer and other infectious diseases. In the current study, we have reported that SARS-CoV-2 encoded proteins and some anti-COVID-19 drugs currently used are able to induce lytic reactivation of Kaposis sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), one of major human oncogenic viruses through manipulation of intracellular signaling pathways. Our data indicate that those KSHV+ patients especially in endemic areas exposure to COVID-19 or undergoing the treatment may have increased risks to develop virus-associated cancers, even after they have fully recovered from COVID-19.

Reflections on the Reform of "Two-vote System" for Drug Purchase Based on Financial Perspective / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE: To provide reference for China to comprehensively promote and perfect the "two-vote system" for drug purchase. METHODS: The effects of "two-vote system" on interested parties, the existing problems of drug purchase and its financial reasons were analyzed; the finance strategies were put forward to deal with the existing problems of drug purchase. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: "Two-vote system" has certain impact on drug production enterprises, drug circulation enterprises, public medical institutions and government drug supervision departments. At present, the existing problems of drug purchase mainly include that the mechanism of "drug to support hospital" has promoted the virtual-high price of drugs; drug enterprises pull drug sales by the way of rebate; hidden rules disrupt the circulation of drugs as "be subordinate to" "amateur performance". Financial reasons mainly include that the mode of "drug to support hospital" pursuit the maximization of its own interests unilaterally and ignore the drug cost burden of patients; some enterprises have poor investment, lack of R&D investment, have weak internal financial control measures, lack of social responsibility consciousness, rely on "be subordinate to" "amateur performance" profit, underestimate financial risk, etc. The drug production enterprises should adjust marketing model and reduce cost; drug circulation enterprises should predict positioning scientifically and expand profit space; public medical institutions should reform financial supply and reduce drug cost; government drug supervision departments should reduce the supervision cost and improve the comprehensive efficiency. Only by deepening the reform of the medical and health care system, improving the supporting measures for the "two-vote system" in drug purchase can the problems existing in the circulation of drugs be solved gradually.