Japan has curbed the spread of the coronavirus so well within the country that it is facing a shortage of patients for clinical trials

Carl Court/Getty Images

• Japan was successful in containing the spread of the coronavirus within the country, so much so that it is now facing a shortage of patients to enroll in clinical trials.
• While the epidemic drove Japan's medical system to the brink of collapse in recent months, serious cases now number about 60 nationwide.
• "Due to the decreasing number of coronavirus infections, we believe it will take some time before clinical research is completed," said Tetsuya Nakamura, who is running a trial of Avigan at Gunma University Hospital in central Japan.
• With a dearth of domestic patients, Japan may have to rely more on overseas data and results to aid in regulatory approvals.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

TOKYO (Reuters) - As nations race to develop treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, Japan has become a victim of its own success as slowing new infections has led to a shortage of patients to enroll in clinical trials.

Clinical trials are underway for more than a dozen potential vaccines, including at least six in China, but Japan's first human trials are expected to start next month.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: How the Navy's largest hospital ship can help with the coronavirus

See Also:

• Your blood type may impact how hard you get hit by the coronavirus, new research shows
• Coronavirus antibodies may disappear 2 to 3 months after people recover, a new study found
• Trump's Oklahoma rally is extremely risky, and not just for the people going

from Feedburner https://ift.tt/2VdODrJ