Avicenna J Med Biotech arij002 Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology 2008-2835 2008-4625 Avicenna Research Institute ajmb30441 Basic Science and Clinical Studies on Non-COVID-19 Topics, of Coronavirus Victims AkhondzadehShahinShiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranShamabadiAhmad 13 1 1 1 21 10 2020 21 10 2020

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Despite advancements of societies in terms of health, epidemics do happen; the latest is the outbreak of coronavirus. Re-assortment of viruses is a biological phenomenon that creates new subtypes of viruses, indicating that pandemics are unavoidable </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">1</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">The SARS-CoV-2 crisis has so far affected all countries of the world, which has been more pronounced in aspects related to health and economy.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">One area in which COVID-19 has had a significant impact is research </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">2</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> The fact that </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">a pandemic of a virus has caused and continues to cause deaths worldwide and dire consequences for the economies of nations are of main reasons for the focus of research in this field.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">Currently,</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> people and the media are paying the most attention to the disease among other health-related issues, and governments are asking researchers to find solutions to the problem has negatively affected all of society. As a result, </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">research centers&#39; budgets are prioritized with issues related to COVID-19, and the majority of researchers have focused on the disease </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">2-4</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">In this situation, are basic science research and diseases other than COVID-19 given </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">necessitous</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> attention <sup>5-7</sup>?</span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The large number of researchers focusing on the field and the rapidity of the publication of research, despite its many advantages, </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">has several significant disadvantages that affect both COVID-19 related and other research.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">Rapid and immature conclusions from some trials and their use in the clinic, despite the low quality of several studies and small size of study samples-compared to the COVID-19 spectrum-along with disruption of the peer review process even in reputable journals are of the significant drawbacks affecting COVID-19-related research </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">3,8</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">The negative impact of this pandemic on clinical trials on topics other than COVID-19 is worrying.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">Due to the transmission problem required to perform many trials, performing such studies is problematic in terms of implementation and practice, but the main problem goes back to before this stage.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">Governments want to resolve the coronavirus crisis, people and the media are following the issue of COVID-19, COVID-19 is a priority for research center budgets, and journals publish research on the field faster; as a result, individual interests such as advancement in academic status and financial profits in this field are better secured </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">2-8</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">Delays in progress in basic science and clinical research other than COVID-19 due to budget cuts and reduced researcher focus will have long-term adverse effects </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">9</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Doing basic science and free studies-that is, studies for which there are no questions or requests-often leads to other questions and sometimes to answers to which we have never asked a question.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">The results of these studies are knowledge and understanding and are necessary for further studies.</span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt">These studies are the entrance to a bridge built from the laboratory to the clinic to the community </span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">9</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt">. Science works this way, from free studies to patient treatment, and the result of a reduction in funding and a reduction in basic science and clinical studies other than COVID-19 will be nothing but a delay in the advancement of science in general.</span></span></p>