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The Sick Times

@thesicktimes.org

Award-winning nonprofit news site chronicling the #LongCOVID crisis. Founded by @BetsyLadyzhets.bsky.social & @MilesWGriffis.bsky.social Website: thesicktimes.org Newsletter: thesicktimes.org/newsletter Donate: the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org

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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 1h ago

This week at The Sick Times, Elizabeth Pugh argues that labeling people with Long COVID as “patients” is stigmatizing and personally and politically harmful. “It strips personal agency,” she writes. “And frankly, it’s bad PR.” Read more: thesicktimes.org/2026/08/04/t...

ID: A group of people walk in the streets of San Francisco on a sunny day in 1986 holding a large white banner that reads, "People with AIDS Alliance". Some wear hats and sunglasses, others hold white, blue, green, and purple balloons. The text reads, “The Sick Times. There’s a long history of person-first language in advocacy. Here’s why we should use it for Long COVID. By Elizabeth Pugh.”

Every time I see “Long COVID patient,” I feel my humanity pickpocketed.

I am not a patient. I’m a person recovering from a virus that has killed tens of millions of people worldwide in just six years. I’m not some nebulous entity roaming around town in a hospital gown, walking an IV pole like a pet.

betsy ladyzhets 😷@betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 24h ago

Today @thesicktimes.org: Actor and playwright Elizabeth Pugh argues that Long COVID organizations should use person-first language, drawing on her own experience with HIV/AIDS activism in the 1990s. thesicktimes.org/2026/08/04/t...

There’s a long history of person-first language in advocacy. Here’s why we should use it for Long COVID. - The Sick Times

Labeling people with Long COVID as “patients” is stigmatizing and personally and politically harmful. It strips personal agency. And frankly, it’s bad PR.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · yesterday

The U.S. is about a month into a summer COVID-19 wave, with levels rising across much of the country, especially in the West and South. This week's COVID-19 trends report: thesicktimes.org/2026/08/04/n...

Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for August 4, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "medium" (represented with darker yellow) and significantly increasing (represented with a directly up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and slightly increasing (diagonal up arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

Wastewater surveillance data from WastewaterSCAN and Biobot Analytics both report consistent increases in their national averages of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and in the West and South over the last month, along with less consistent increases in the other major regions.
The CDC is stubbornly still reporting that SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater are “very low” nationally and in all four regions. This is partially because the CDC uses a higher baseline for comparison in presenting its wastewater data than other providers like WWSCAN.

This chart from the CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) is a map of the U.S. with states color-coded according to their recent COVID-19 epidemic trend. Text above the map reads: "As of July 29, 2026, we estimate that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 41 states, declining or likely declining in 0 states, and not changing in 7 states. Previous estimates can be found on data.cdc.gov." 28 states are colored in darker purple for "growing" cases, another 13 are colored in lighter purple for "likely growing" cases, and remaining states are colored in white for "not changing" or gray for "not estimated."

CDC healthcare system data, meanwhile, continue to report rising COVID-19 cases. The agency's infectious disease forecasting center, which uses emergency department data, estimates that COVID-19 cases are “growing or likely growing” in 41 states, as of July 29.

The parasite cyclospora also continues to spread. Yesterday, the Michigan health department reported two deaths from this pathogen, which causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Disability advocates criticized the New York Times for highlighting that both people who died had “significant underlying health conditions,” a rhetorical move also used frequently to downplay COVID-19’s destructive impacts on vulnerable people.

RedwoodGirl @redwoodgirl.bsky.social · 5d ago

From @thesicktimes.org: "Academically speaking, the neurological challenges are among the most concerning Long COVID effects. The cocktail of COVID19 and other pathogens that ran through my school every week, not just in the winter, kept students sicker and sicker." thesicktimes.org/2026/07/24/t...

The (sick) kids aren’t alright: Observations from a teacher with Long COVID - The Sick Times

We must help students by addressing Long COVID and advocating for clean air in schools.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 6d ago

🧠 Small study: found persistent neuromuscular abnormalities in Long COVID 💊 Small trial: taking Paxlovid during acute COVID-19 may help reduce the risk of Long COVID ⚡️ Researchers announced a new, controversial trial to study the “Lightning Process” for Long COVID thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/r...

ID: A science illustration of the muscles of the human back and arm. The muscles appear red as the subject lifts their right arm, helping accentuate the muscles. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. Small study: found persistent neuromuscular abnormalities in Long COVID. Small trial: taking Paxlovid during acute COVID-19 may help reduce the risk of Long COVID. Researchers announced a new, controversial trial to study the ‘Lightning Process’ for Long COVID.”

A new study found persistent neuromuscular abnormalities in Long COVID. The small study, published in Neurophysiologie Clinique, included 50 people with Long COVID who underwent two types of electromyography tests, which can provide objective measures of muscle function. Danish researchers performed the tests on specific muscles in the arms and legs, finding that 60% of the cohort had abnormal results in one or both of the tests, more than a year after their first exam. “These findings suggest ongoing neuromuscular dysfunction,” the authors wrote, noting that the study’s biggest limitation was a selection bias and that the results can’t be generalized for all people with Long COVID.

Taking Paxlovid during acute COVID-19 may help reduce the risk of Long COVID, according to a small trial. The results add to a set of large electronic health record studies that found the drug to be largely ineffective in preventing Long COVID; this new study is one of the first randomized control trials. Norwegian researchers included 144 people in the study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, who took the antiviral during acute COVID-19, or a placebo. They found the risk of Long COVID symptoms at three months was 40% lower for the Paxlovid group than for the placebo group. Still, the researchers said the findings should be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size, noting that the trial’s study recruitment was terminated early. “There is a risk of overestimating treatment efficacy,” they stated.

Researchers announced a new, controversial trial to study the “Lightning Process” for Long COVID. The heavily criticized “mind body intervention” has failed in trials for similar diseases and caused harm in people with Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The intervention has also been accused of “exploiting people” and called “quackery” by a psychologist; it was exposed in a BBC investigation. The new study, based at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, aims to recruit 100 participants who will either undergo the three day program and a few follow-up calls, or “pacing sessions,” for 26 weeks total. The primary outcome measure researchers are using for the trial is the subjective Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-Fatigue) survey, which has been criticized to “overestimate” improvements when used as a primary outcome measure.

Victoria Janssen @victoriajanssen.bsky.social · last wk.

Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise by Rachel Fairbank @thesicktimes.org thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/d...

Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise - The Sick Times

The 14th annual Dysautonomia International conference outside Houston included presentations on the role of autoimmunity in dysautonomia and a biobank initiative for POTS research.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · last wk.

The 14th annual Dysautonomia International conference outside Houston included presentations on the role of autoimmunity in dysautonomia and a biobank initiative for POTS research. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/d...

ID: Collage graphic featuring images of a cowboy hat, downtown Houston, Texas, a diagram of a heart, and a person checking their heart rate on a smartwatch. The photos are interspersed with light blue and pink rectangles, over a background showing heart rate diagrams on pink graph paper. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise. By Rachel Fairbank.”

Key points you should know:

Over 400 clinicians, researchers, and people with dysautonomia gathered in person in The Woodlands, Texas, with an additional 1,000 joining virtually for over 50 sessions. The conference was organized by the advocacy group Dysautonomia International.

Some of the conference themes included the growing evidence that dysautonomia is an inflammatory and autoimmune condition and the role of mast cell dysfunction in driving symptoms.

Key points you should know:

Dysautonomia International is launching a biobank initiative, called POTS BRAIN, to help facilitate POTS research. Their first study will be looking at markers for iron storage and inflammation. They are hoping to eventually recruit remote participants.

Multiple sessions discussed myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) as a common comorbidity, and offered advice on how to recognize and mitigate the challenges of post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Long Covid Kids @longcovidkids.bsky.social · last wk.

A thoughtful perspective from teacher Flynn Lovelace on what they've witnessed in classrooms since the pandemic. Children deserve the opportunity to learn, participate and thrive. We're grateful to see these experiences shared. 🧡 Worth a read. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/24/t... @thesicktimes.org

The (sick) kids aren’t alright: Observations from a teacher with Long COVID - The Sick Times

We must help students by addressing Long COVID and advocating for clean air in schools.

thesicktimes.org

Billy Hanlon @bhanlon15.bsky.social · last wk.

The Sick Times: 'Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise' Written by Rachel Fairbank thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/d...

Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise - The Sick Times

The 14th annual Dysautonomia International conference outside Houston included presentations on the role of autoimmunity in dysautonomia and a biobank initiative for POTS research.

thesicktimes.org

betsy ladyzhets 😷@betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · last wk.

Today @thesicktimes.org: @sweetsciencewriter.bsky.social covers the recent Dysautonomia International conference! Featuring a new biobank initiative, presentations on autoimmunity, clinical trial results, discussions on the overlap of POTS and ME, and more. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/d...

Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise - The Sick Times

The 14th annual Dysautonomia International conference outside Houston included presentations on the role of autoimmunity in dysautonomia and a biobank initiative for POTS research.

thesicktimes.org

Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · last wk.

"The idea that exercise is the best medicine for all people with POTS still lingers. As Davenport noted, “We need to interrogate who has the fear here. We can’t be afraid of not exercising.” @sweetsciencewriter.bsky.social's write up on the DI conference for TST 🫀 thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/d...

Dysautonomia conference centers biomarkers and post-exertional malaise - The Sick Times

The 14th annual Dysautonomia International conference outside Houston included presentations on the role of autoimmunity in dysautonomia and a biobank initiative for POTS research.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · last wk.

A summer COVID-19 wave continues to pick up momentum in the U.S. While disease levels remain on the lower end compared to past summers, almost all major metrics are showing increases across the country. This week's COVID-19 trends: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/28/n...

Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for July 28, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with an orange color box) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and significantly increasing (directly up arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · last wk.

Why is airborne disease transmission still controversial to doctors? In this week's episode of Still Here (@produced by @melaniemarich.bsky.social), co-hosts @mileswgriffis.bsky.social and @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social talk to Lola Germs about that and more. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/24/w...

White text on a stylized green background of air particles reads, "Despite the overwhelming evidence and research [00:01:00] for airborne disease spread that has emerged in the last few decades, the medical community has been slow to adopt the measures to match." On the right, cutouts of a megaphone and podcast microphone.

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · last wk.

"The quiet normalization of COVID-19 in our society has come at the great expense of school-age children and adolescents." thesicktimes.org/2026/07/24/t...

ID: Collage graphic with two dark silhouettes, one of a young man and one of a young woman, against a background photo of a school hallway, with linoleum walls and red lockers on either side of the image. The text reads, “The Sick Times. The (sick) kids aren’t alright: Observations from a teacher with Long COVID. We must help students by addressing Long COVID and advocating for clean air in schools. By Flynn Lovelace.”

If we want kids to have the opportunity to learn, to grow, to be, then we must do what we can to keep them alive and well. To quote Madeline Lane-McKinley from her book Solidarity with Children, “We cannot allow ourselves or each other to surrender the future.”

- Flynn Lovelace, The (sick) kids aren’t alright: Observations from a teacher with Long COVID

Tom Kindlon @tomkindlon.bsky.social · last wk.

The Sick Times How to interpret clinical trial results for Long COVID thesicktimes.org/2026/07/21/h... Includes a section called "a crash course in statistics." Also links to this resource: Questions to ask when evaluating evidence from clinical trials. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/21/h...

How to interpret clinical trial results for Long COVID - The Sick Times

With no proven treatments or cures, many people with Long COVID are turning to off-label medications, supplements, and medical devices to treat their symptoms. There are numerous options — and some of...

thesicktimes.org

Press On @pressonsouth.bsky.social · 2w ago

July is Disability Pride Month! Whether you’re a disabled journalist yourself or are able-bodied and wish to report on disability issues accurately, ethically, and respectfully, here are a few disability reporting tips based on our training last year with @thesicktimes.org & @newdisabledsouth.org.

betsy ladyzhets 😷@betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 2w ago

Today @thesicktimes.org: Writer Flynn Lovelace shares his experience as a teacher with Long COVID, seeing signs of the disease among his students. "Since 2020, disease has held a constant, detrimental grip on classrooms across K–12 (and higher) education," he writes.

The (sick) kids aren’t alright: Observations from a teacher with Long COVID - The Sick Times

We must help students by addressing Long COVID and advocating for clean air in schools.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

Long COVID’s heterogenous nature means vast variations in symptoms and severity that may also make it more difficult to study and design good treatment trials. How do you separate strong studies from weak ones, and spot the bunk? Read more from @spichaksimon.bsky.social: bit.ly/4fxNWli

ID: Collage graphic featuring a bar chart, an image of a mouse, a bottle of white pills turned over on its side, a gloved hand holding a petri dish, and a researcher peering into a microscope. The background of the image is blue and white graph paper. The text reads, “The Sick Times. How to interpret clinical trial results for Long COVID. By Simon Spichak.”

What kind of study is it?

Observational studies: Follow people over time, with no randomization or control group.

Clinical trials: Experiments that investigate how a drug is absorbed in the body, its safety, and its efficacy.

Phase 1 trials: test the safety of a new supplement, medication, or device.

Phase 2 trials: help provide a sign of whether the drug might work.

Phase 3 trials: are the final stage for new treatments. These are large studies conducted across multiple hospitals or research centers that pit a new drug or medical device against a placebo.

Phase 4 trials: may add more safety and effectiveness data or test whether an approved treatment or supplement could be repurposed.

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

This week's #LongCOVID research updates: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/21/r...

An electron micrograph of HHV-6. Bernard Kramarsky, Public Domain. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. New study: The dementia drug donepezil helped decrease fatigue in a subset of people with Long COVID. Two posters at a large Alzheimer’s conference included unpublished studies on Long COVID linking the two diseases. The ME/CFS Research Foundation recently announced €2.4 million in funding for seven projects. NIH RECOVER announced that a majority of the next set of trials will launch in ‘late fall.’”

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

Thank you to everyone who became a Sick Times Supporter during our recent summer sustainability fundraiser. Thank you for refusing to stand by as other publications and people in power put the COVID-19 pandemic and Long COVID crisis in the past tense. ❤️

1) A video game-style heart tracker on top of a farm background is almost full! The text reads, “Thank you for supporting The Sick Times.”

2) Black text on a chartreuse background reads, “182 new and upgrading Supporters. Means planning months and years ahead for major Long COVID stories as we continue covering clinical trials, groundbreaking research, and how major institutions have failed on this disease. Means continued experimentation with how we share our reporting and how we work with freelance contributors, always striving toward greater accessibility. Means more collaborations with other news outlets, bringing our community-first Long COVID news to broader audiences. Means more online events like last month’s Virtual Pride, sharing information and fostering connections. Means building systems for ongoing fundraising so that we don’t need to scramble as much to keep operating at the end of each year — and can keep running as long as there is Long COVID news to share!”

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

We keep seeing more signs that a summer COVID-19 wave is underway in the U.S. Still, as we’ve had a lower-than-average lull between waves this spring, recent levels are still very low compared to past summers. This week's COVID-19 trends: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/21/n...

Read this week’s full COVID-19 trends report at the link in our bio. Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for July 21, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with an orange color box) and significantly increasing (represented with a directly up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and significantly increasing (directly up arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

Julia MV @julialmv.bsky.social · 2w ago

"Like Mari, many disabled people rely on others to meet their most basic survival needs. When adequate support from governments and medical systems is not available, this level of dependency places disabled people at high risk of neglect, exploitation, and abuse." 1/3

The Sick Times@thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

Many disabled people rely on others to meet their most basic survival needs. When adequate support from governments and medical systems is not available, this level of dependency places disabled people at high risk of neglect, exploitation, and abuse. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/20/a...

A digital illustration shows a woman lying on a bed, an eye mask covering the top half of her face. She is wearing a tank top and has short, tightly curled hair. The illustration is all in grayscale and has a somber air. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Abandoned by our governments, people with severe ME and Long COVID are supported by severely ill peers. Mari, a Black Canadian woman with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is supported by fellow people with ME in the absence of institutional care. By Whitney Fox.”

Morgan Leigh Davies @mldavies.bsky.social · 2w ago

Absolutely essential article from @crookedneighbor.bsky.social about the overlaps between anti-ICE organizing and Long COVID organizing at @thesicktimes.org: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/07/h...

How to protect your community from ICE when you have Long COVID - The Sick Times

People are taking on immigration enforcement from bed and the streets. We talked to two organizers for tips to participate in resistance while staying safe.

thesicktimes.org

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2w ago

“I didn’t have anyone close to me who cared enough to help me when I wasn’t being happy and friendly,”

Miranda @crookedneighbor.bsky.social · 2w ago

I don’t think I’ve ever met Mari (a pseudonym), but her story is so deeply familiar to me and the things I’ve witnessed here in the States. Homelessness triggering Long Covid ME, triggering continued homelessness. Caregiver abuse that goes unrecognized as DV. Complete absence of social services.

betsy ladyzhets 😷@betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 2w ago

Today @thesicktimes.org: Without help from government institutions, people like Mari, a young Black woman living in Canada with severe ME, are supported primarily by fellow people with severe symptoms. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/20/a...

betsy ladyzhets 😷@betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 2w ago

Abandoned by our governments, people with severe ME and Long COVID are supported by severely ill peers - The Sick Times

Mari, a Black Canadian woman with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is supported by fellow people with ME in the absence of institutional care.

thesicktimes.org

Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 2w ago

Many thanks for the shout out in the story about the op-ed the brave participants of the trial wrote for @thesicktimes.org last fall, calling for a better designed Vyvgart trial. thesicktimes.org/2025/10/10/v...

Vyvgart brought us back to life, but the Long COVID trial was canceled. We are calling on the NIH and HHS to study the drug. - The Sick Times

We are a group of 53 individuals with Long COVID from across the U.S. In 2023, we joined a Long COVID clinical trial for Vyvgart (efgartigimod), a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FD...

thesicktimes.org

Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 2w ago

"When healthy people become ill, they expect to call a doctor, receive treatment, and recover. When people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) become sicker, they often rely on other sick people for care, in the absence of systemic support." thesicktimes.org/2026/07/20/a...

Abandoned by our governments, people with severe ME and Long COVID are supported by severely ill peers - The Sick Times

Mari, a Black Canadian woman with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is supported by fellow people with ME in the absence of institutional care.

thesicktimes.org

Rowan Walrath @rowanwalrath.bsky.social · 2w ago

ALSO: big ups as always to @thesicktimes.org for covering long COVID so robustly and piquing my interest in Vyvgart for long COVID POTS.

The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 3w ago

👀 Study: COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders 🧠 New study: people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains 💊 Clinical trial: some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue thesicktimes.org/2026/07/14/r...

A scientific illustration shows a neuron synapse with dopamine, small appearing molecules. The synspases are bright purple and blue, while the dopamine appear yellow and light blue. The illustration is contrasted with a jet black background. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders, according to a cross sectional study. A new study found that people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains. A U.K. clinical trial found some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue.”

COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders, according to a cross sectional study in Nature Communications. Researchers in Sweden assessed 100 people with Long COVID and compared them to 32 people who had COVID-19 and “recovered.” “We found that the problems experienced by those affected were not detectable by standard tests,” one of the authors said in a press release, explaining that they had to use specialized examinations, including proteomics. The researchers found that immune dysregulation, dysautonomia, and nerve damage were linked to the eye disorders. Past research has found that retinal abnormalities may serve as biomarkers to help diagnose Long COVID.

A new study in eBioMedicine found that people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains. The small study included 24 people with Long COVID compared to 24 “healthy” controls who underwent advanced brain imaging. “Our findings provide compelling evidence that Long COVID involves the loss of dopamine-releasing neurons,” one of the study’s authors said in a statement, explaining that this damage in specific areas of the brain correlated with symptoms of Long COVID. The authors state more research is needed but suggested that improving the function of dopamine signaling could be a target for treatment. Other researchers have also hypothesized that impaired dopamine signaling could cause cognitive symptoms in Long COVID.

A U.K. clinical trial found some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue. The study evaluated the blood thinner rivaroxaban, the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine, and a combination of the antihistamines famotidine and loratadine. The results of the phase 3 trial, called STIMULATE-ICP, were published in The Lancet: Infectious Diseases. Researchers included nearly 800 people in the platform trial, testing the drugs alongside a control arm of people who received “usual Long COVID care,” which included pacing support. The trial was open-label, meaning participants knew which drugs they were taking. Participants improved somewhat in the treatment arms, but so did those in the control arm, meaning there was no significant difference between treatment and control and the trial failed on its primary endpoint.