The recommendations call on researchers, authorities and funders to ensure consistent protocols, robust infrastructure, and flexible ethical and funding mechanisms
Longitudinal cohort studies, which track individuals over time, have proven invaluable for understanding disease progression, identifying risk factors, and evaluating interventions such as vaccines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cohort-based research provided critical insights into global SARS-CoV-2 circulation, vaccine effectiveness, and risk factors. However, combining data from diverse cohorts poses serious challenges regarding data collection, sharing, harmonisation, and sustained funding. Many of these challenges have been directly experienced by the 20 partners of the END-VOC consortium over the last three years.
A new policy document produced by the consortium distils these lessons and presents actionable and targeted recommendations for three key stakeholders in cohort-based studies. Researchers should prioritise harmonised data collection protocols, and foster active participant engagement. Data protection authorities should offer clear, consistent and adaptable regulatory guidance to facilitate data sharing between institutions and countries. Funders should ensure sustained and flexible support for data platforms and a trained workforce.
The importance of ensuring the long-term follow up of cohorts is underscored by key END-VOC contributions to the understanding of Long Covid, including estimates of its global burden, the identification of risk factors, and potential mechanisms such as the magnitude of the antibody response and sex-specific processes.
Implementing these recommendations will strengthen the global research ecosystem, accelerate evidence-informed decisions, and enhance preparedness for future pandemics, ultimately saving lives and improving societal resilience.
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