Toward Unbiased Evaluation of Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Challenges and Solutions for the Long Haul Ahead

lenge developing in parallel to the ongoing pandemic. new or persistent symptoms affecting nearly every organ system (2). In the United States, PASC has already been approved for inclusion and protections within the Americans with Disabilities Act (3) despite limited study data or medical consensus. Yet, we do not know what constitutes long COVID or how to formally diagnose it (4). An improved understanding of this condition is needed to provide appropriate care for our patients. However, developing high-quality scientific evidence on PASC presents a unique challenge due to the evolving circumstances of SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic itself. Such work will indeed be a long haul. Inherent sources of potential bias in studying this new phenomenon require that the medical community understand both study design and study limitations when generating, publishing, and using reports (Table). Deriving high-quality, consistent information from diverse study designs and samples is our best hope to inform the understanding of PASC and develop strategies to diagnose, treat, and prevent it. No single study design will be perfectly suited to study PASC, but we must work together to develop and disseminate the highest-quality information. The first challenge when studying a disease is how to diagnose it. Despite the widely reported burden of sequelae stemming from COVID-19, we have yet to derive deproposed a clinical case definition based on the delibera

Automated summary

Long COVID, a condition developing alongside the ongoing pandemic, affects various organ systems with new or persistent symptoms. However, there is no consensus on the definition and formal diagnosis of long COVID. Conducting high-quality scientific research on Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) presents challenges due to the evolving circumstances of the pandemic.