The World Health Organization has come under fire for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with critics such as US President Donald Trump quick to claim that the organisation had failed to react fast enough to prevent the virus from spreading. We look back at the history of the organisation to find out how its reaction to Covid-19 compares to previous health emergencies.

Also, we find out more about the RECOVERY trial - a colossal undertaking in the UK that aims to assess the anti-coronavirus efficacy of a number of existing treatments, examine what is needed to salvage the clinical trials disrupted by Covid-19, and, as treatment options beginning to emerge for this novel coronavirus, we investigate what this unique situation means for intellectual property as governments waive common patent protections in pursuit of a cure.

Plus, we examine whether drug manufacturers can keep up with the evolution of seasonal allergies, round up key developments in biologic drugs, explore the difficulties of breaking through the blood brain barrier, and review the highs and lows of immunotherapy.