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No Trials, No Care: Canada's Long COVID Crisis 7 Years In
Canada continues to underfund Long COVID, with fewer than 40 trials in seven years, leaving few options for navigating the disease.
Simon Spichak
March 15, 2026
On March 15, 2026 people with Long COVID and their families gathered at Queen’s Park for Long COVID Awareness Day. Among them was Rebecca Lewkowicz, one of the organized, who had recently traveled to Italy so her 14-year old son Ethan — who developed Long COVID in 2022 — could receive an experimental immune-modulating treatment through a compassionate use-exemption, which was not granted for them in Ontario.
People with Long COVID face impossible choices. There are no proven treatments though many patients are trying out supplements and experimental protocols. Others like Lewkowicz seek expensive care abroad. Those who are more severe and have less resources are reliant on crowdfunding for survival.
Across Canada, Long COVID remains underfunded and overlooked despite its documented impact. According to 2023 Health Canada data, about one in seven people developed persistent symptoms after their first infection, and one in three after subsequent infections. More than 600,000 Canadians are missing work or school because of debilitating symptoms including neurocognitive impairment, pain, fatigue, sleep issues, and post-exertional malaise — prolonged worsening of symptoms after physical or mental exertion.
“That amount of funding is not sufficient for the disease burden,” Lewkowicz told The Canadian Health Sentinel, urging increased funding for research, clinical trials, and care options.
Data sourced from PHAC, StatCan, and ClinicalTrials.gov
Long COVID is underfunded in Canada
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has invested roughly $37 million into Long COVID research as of 2023, inclduing $20 million for the Long COVID Web project. Yet little of the funding was allocated for pediatric Long COVID. While CIHR funded several studies looking at children’s mental health after COVID-19. Parents have raised concerns that their children’s symptoms are being psychologized.
It took 13 months for doctors to take Ethan’s symptoms seriously, though for many families it takes even longer. Ethan was ultimately diagnosed with gastrointestinal dysautonomia, a disruption of the body’s involuntary digestive processes. In addition to symptoms like nausea, Ethan experiences severe pain which often keeps him awake.
Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada granted $9 million to McMaster University and Cochrane Canada to create clinical guidelines for diagnosing and treating the condition. As I previously reported, Canada’s Long COVID guideline process involved experts who made potentially dangerous treatment suggestions and may have been influenced by a researcher who had spied on patient groups.
By compairosn, the U.S. committed $1.6 billion in funding for Long COVID research through the NIH RECOVER initiative — though experts and patient advocates say it has largely ailed to meet its goals. Meanwhile, Germany committed $500 million Euros.
Few clinical trials of drugs and medical procedures
As of March 2026, Canada has only conducted 38 clinical trials of interventions targeting Long COVID.
These trials included 4,258 participants, though this includes trials like LC-REVITALIZE that are enrolling people worldwide, meaning that many participants aren’t Canadian. Most Long COVID trials worldwide are not accessible to those with severe forms of the disease.
Just 11 tested drugs or procedures like stellate ganglion blocks.
Fifteen focused on rehabilitation, exercise, or mind‑body programs — approaches based on the unproven idea that people with Long COVID are deconditioned. Recent studies of muscle biopsies found that the abnormalities in Long COVID that develop after exercise are distinct from deconditioned individuals.
One trial used a “modified Zelen design,” in which participants were randomized to standard care or an exercise rehabilitation before providing informed consent. Another trial is testing whether swimming is a better exercise for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, including those that developed the condition after a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
These treatments risk inducing PEM in a subset of participants. Although there is no evidence that exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy are safe and effective for Long COVID, and most research neglects even mentioning let alone measuring post-exertional malaise, these treatments are commonly offered across Canadian physiotherapy clinics.
A full table of trials is available at the bottom of the article.
Intervention | Trials | Total Participants |
Drug | 8 | 1,715 |
Procedure | 3 | 184 |
Rehabilitation and Exercise | 14 | 678 |
Olfactory Training* | 3 | 114 |
Hyberbaric/Oxygen Therapy | 5 | 338 |
Nutrition/Supplements | 5 | 1073 |
Mind-Body | 1 | 200 |
*One trial is included twice as it tests a stellate ganglion block for olfactory training
Seeking care abroad
With few options available, Lewkowicz and her son travelled to Italy to try intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). The experimental treatment involves an antibody infusion that may dampen inflammatory processes that could be driving Ethan’s symptoms.
“I petitioned the federal government and the provincial government for off-label compassionate care use of IVIG here,” Lewkowicz said. “Neither budged on anything to help support us.”
Unfortunately Ethan had an allergic reaction and is not a candidate to receive more treatments. Still, Lewkowicz wants others to be able to access these treatments through the compassionate-use pathway in Canada.
Seven years after the first infections, Canadians are still living — and newly developing —Long COVID. There is no will to implement preventative measures, like filtration and masking, including in high-risk environment like hospitals. Without robust funding for research, drug trials, or access to treatment, hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left to nagivate a fractured system.
Clinical Trials
Intervention Type | NCT Number | Study Title | Interventions | Status |
Drug | Long Covid (LC)-REVITALIZE - A Long Covid Repurposed Drug Study | DRUG: Pirfenidone|DRUG: Placebo for pirfenidone|DRUG: Upadacitinib|DRUG: Placebo for upadacitinib | RECRUITING | |
Drug | Dapagliflozin for Long COVID Syndrome | DRUG: Dapagliflozin (DAPA)|DRUG: Placebo | NOT_YET_RECRUITING | |
Drug | Antiviral Strategies in the Prevention of Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes Following COVID-19: The paxloviD/Remdesivir Effectiveness For the prEvention of loNg coviD Clinical Trial | DRUG: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir|DRUG: Remdesivir | RECRUITING | |
Drug | Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of IgPro20 in Post-COVID-19 POTS | BIOLOGICAL: IgPro20|BIOLOGICAL: Placebo | TERMINATED | |
Drug | Study of LAU-7b for the Treatment of Long COVID in Adults | DRUG: LAU-7b for 3 cycles|DRUG: LAU-7b for 1 cycle, then placebo|OTHER: Placebo for 3 cycles | COMPLETED | |
Drug | RECLAIM: Recovering From COVID-19 Lingering Symptoms Adaptive Integrative Medicine | DRUG: Ibudilast|DRUG: Pentoxifylline|OTHER: Placebo | COMPLETED | |
Drug | Low-dose Naltrexone for Post-COVID Fatigue Syndrome | DRUG: Low-Dose Naltrexone|OTHER: Placebo | RECRUITING | |
Drug | Vortioxetine for Post-COVID-19 Condition | DRUG: Vortioxetine|DRUG: Placebo | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Is Swimming a More Tolerable Form of Movement for Individuals With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? | BEHAVIORAL: Swimming|BEHAVIORAL: Cycling | RECRUITING | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Group-based Telerehabilitation Program in People With Post-COVID-19 Sequelae (TEPCO). | OTHER: Rehabilitation program | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Pursuing Reduction in Fatigue After COVID-19 Via Exercise and Rehabilitation (PREFACER): A Randomized Feasibility Trial | OTHER: COVIDEx | RECRUITING | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Telerehabilitation for Post COVID-19 Condition | OTHER: Telerehabilitation program based on cardiorespiratory principles | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Cognitive Rehabilitation for Long COVID | BEHAVIORAL: Cognitive Rehabilitation|OTHER: Education | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Self-management of Post COVID-19 Syndrome Using Wearable Biometric Technology | OTHER: Self-management of post COVID-19 respiratory outcomes | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | A Web-based Platform to Improve Physical Function, Nutrition, and Mindfulness in Patients With Long COVID | BEHAVIORAL: Web-based platform. (My Viva Plan) | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Virtual Physical Rehabilitation for Patients Living with Long COVID | OTHER: Intervention Group: Virtual home-based rehabilitation plus usual outpatient care | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Inspiratory Muscle Training in ME/CFS and COVID-19 Survivors | OTHER: Inspiratory muscle training | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | BREATHE: Virtual Self-management for Long COVID-19 | OTHER: BREATHE | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | A Pilot Study of a PhysiOthErapy-based Tailored Intervention for Long COVID (COVID-19) | BEHAVIORAL: Physiotherapy | UNKNOWN | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in Long COVID-19 Patients With Persistent Breathlessness and Fatigue | OTHER: Cardiopulmonary exercise training | COMPLETED | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Enhancing COVID Rehabilitation With Technology | BEHAVIORAL: NexJ Connected Wellness|OTHER: Usual Care | ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | |
Rehabilitation & Exercise | Pulmonary Rehabilitation Post-COVID-19 | OTHER: Exercise program (virtual/remote) | COMPLETED | |
Hyperbaric / Oxygen Therapy | Effect of Hi-OxSR for the Treatment of Post COVID Condition | DEVICE: Hi-OxSR device|DEVICE: Hi-Ox device | RECRUITING | |
Hyperbaric / Oxygen Therapy | Recovering From COVID-19 Lingering Symptoms Adaptive Integrative Medicine Trial - Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Treatment of Post COVID Condition | DEVICE: Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy | RECRUITING | |
Hyperbaric / Oxygen Therapy | Pilot Open Label Use of the Hi-OXSR for the Treatment of Post COVID-19 Cognitive Dysfunction | DEVICE: Hi-OxSR Sequential Rebreathing mask (oxygen concentrator) | COMPLETED | |
Hyperbaric / Oxygen Therapy | Improving Post COVID-19 Syndrome With Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments | DEVICE: Monoplace Hyperbaric Chamber (Class III medical device). | RECRUITING | |
Hyperbaric / Oxygen Therapy | Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) Versus Standard of Care in Long-COVID: Randomized Crossover Exploratory Pilot Study. | DEVICE: Inogen One® G4 | COMPLETED | |
Supplements / Nutrition | Does Taurine Supplementation Improve Vascular Function and Orthostatic Responses in Long COVID? | DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT: Taurine supplementation | NOT_YET_RECRUITING | |
Supplements / Nutrition | Taurine Supplementation in Long COVID | DRUG: Taurine|DRUG: Placebo | RECRUITING | |
Supplements / Nutrition | Nutritional Management of Post COVID-19 Cognitive Symptoms | DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT: medium chain triglyceride oil|DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT: Safflower oil | RECRUITING | |
Supplements / Nutrition | A Fasting Pilot Study for Long COVID | OTHER: prolonged fasting | COMPLETED | |
Supplements / Nutrition | WHO COVID-19 - Evaluation of the Efficacy of Probiotics to Reduce the Occurrence of Long COVID | DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT: Probiotics|DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT: Placebo | COMPLETED | |
Olfactory / Smell Training | Stellate Ganglion Block with Lidocaine for the Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Parosmia | PROCEDURE: Stellate Ganglion Block|OTHER: Placebo | RECRUITING | |
Olfactory / Smell Training | Olfactory Training As a Treatment for Olfactory Dysfunction Post COVID-19 | OTHER: Smell training | RECRUITING | |
Olfactory / Smell Training | Anosmia Rehabilitation in Patients Post Coronavirus Disease (COVID 19) | OTHER: Olfactory retraining|DRUG: corticosteroid nasal irrigation|OTHER: smell household Items|OTHER: Nasal Irrigation | WITHDRAWN | |
Mind-Body | RCT of Mind-body in Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis | OTHER: Dynamic neural retraining system | RECRUITING | |
Procedures | Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial | PROCEDURE: Stellate Ganglion Block (Bupivacaine)|PROCEDURE: placebo saline injection | RECRUITING | |
Procedures | NC Testing in LC & POTS | OTHER: IV normal saline (999 mL infusion)|OTHER: IV normal saline (50 mL infusion) | RECRUITING | |
Procedures | Stellate Ganglion Block with Lidocaine for the Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Parosmia | PROCEDURE: Stellate Ganglion Block|OTHER: Placebo | RECRUITING |
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I'm a science and health journalist who is disappointed and fed up with the lack of news coverage surrounding Long COVID, ME/CFS, chronic illness, and disability issues in Canada. I decided to start this newsletter to provide a home for the news stories that don’t get coverage in Canada’s news ecosystem, which lacks outlets for good, science-based reporting.
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