On Apr. 19, 2021, the NIH announced that it was funding a large, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial to test several existing prescription and over-the-counter medications for people to self-administer to treat symptoms of COVID-19.

Part of the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) publicﾖprivate partnership, the ACTIV-6 trial aimed to provide evidence-based treatment options for the majority of adult patients with COVID-19 who had mild-to-moderate symptoms and were not sick enough to be hospitalized. NIH provided an initial investment of $155 million in funding for the trial.