Gut therapy to improve Long COVID Outcomes and Wellbeing: The GLOW Trial
Thank you for your interest in the GLOW study!
What is Long COVID?
Long COVID is when someone continues to feel unwell for weeks or months after having COVID-19. This can mean their original symptoms don’t go away, or they might develop new symptoms that affect their daily life.
What is FMT?
FMT is the transfer of healthy gut bacteria from a carefully screened donor into someone who is unwell. In this study, it will be given as a rectal enema (a liquid given through the bottom). FMT is approved in Australia for other conditions, but not for Long COVID.
What does this study involve?
- Five in-person visits at University Hospital Geelong
Three baseline visits to receive the enemas (Week 1)
Two follow-up visits (Week 4 and Week 8) - Samples collected: blood, urine, stool
- Online assessments to complete at home
- Wearing a Garmin watch to track your activity, sleep, and heart rate
Taking part in this study is free, and you can keep taking your usual medications or supplements.
You will be reimbursed $20 for travel and parking at each of your in-person study visits, and able to keep your Garmin watch at the end of the trial period.
Click here to see more of what’s involved in the GLOW trial
What type of study is this?
This is a randomised clinical trial. This means you have a 50% chance of receiving either:
- FMT (the active treatment)
- Placebo (a treatment with no active ingredients)
Neither you nor the study team will know which treatment you get (this is called “blinding”).
Why are we doing this?
We want to find out if FMT can be given in a way that is safe, acceptable, and practical for people with Long COVID. This will help us decide if a larger trial is worth doing in the future.
Am I eligible?
If you are interested in participating in the GLOW trial, please click on this link to answer a short pre-screening questionnaire. If your answers suggest you may be eligible, we’ll invite you for a full screening to check carefully before confirming your place in the trial.
Complete pre-screening questionnaire
If you are having any issues accessing the link to the pre-screening survey, please contact the GLOW Team on (03) 4215 3078 or email us on Grace.Mccartin@barwonhealth.org.au to register your interest.
Thank you again for your interest in the GLOW trial!