The COVID-19 pandemic has had an outsized impact on individuals with underlying socialand medical vulnerability, leading to increased rates of severe disease, hospitalization,and death in these groups. Participants with underlying immune compromise, such as thosewith multiple myeloma, represent one such group. The advent of vaccines againstSARS-CoV-2 has significantly limited morbidity and mortality across all groups, but theeffectiveness of vaccination in individuals who are less likely to mount sufficientantibody response is uncertain. For this reason, booster vaccines have been recommendedfor those with underlying immune compromise. However, several key gaps remain in ourunderstanding of how to best protect these individuals.There is a dearth of real-world evidence about the effectiveness of vaccination andboosters in patients who are immunocompromised, and very little information specificallyabout the recently approved mRNA boosters. Additionally, rates of vaccination and boosteruptake in the United States remain low. A rapid, decentralized method of ascertaininginformation related to booster vaccine response and adverse events related to vaccinesand COVID-19 infection is critical not only to answer questions about the boostervaccines, but to develop an infrastructure for answering similar questions about futurevaccines or other diseases.
The purpose of this project is to implement and establish the feasibility of a
decentralized real-world evidence study network for patients with multiple myeloma and to
monitor outcomes related to COVID-19 infection in this immunosuppressed population.
Subjects with multiple myeloma will be invited to participate. The electronic portal will
handle all consenting activities. Participants will be asked to complete specific study
procedures electronically, including permission for electronic health record (EHR) data
transfer. Participants will be asked to complete electronic questionnaires periodically.
Other: Patient Reported Outcomes
Patients will be asked to complete baseline, 30-day, and 6-month clinical and patient
reported outcome health surveys.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of multiple myeloma per the International Myeloma Working Group and
currently receiving active treatment for any phase of the disease, including initial
therapy, maintenance, or relapsed disease.
- Access to the internet
- An active patient portal (or willingness to activate)
- Willing to electronically sign the study-specific informed consent and authorization
form
Exclusion Criteria:
- Non-English speaking
- Lack of internet access
- Cognitive impairment precluding ability to provide informed consent
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, United States
UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States