Autopsy registry can facilitate COVID‐19 research

The WHO declared the global outbreak of SARS‐CoV‐2 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and “call(ed) on all countries to exchange country experiences and practices in a transparent and timely way” (http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/pages/news/news/2020/03/who-announces-covid-19-outbreak-a-pandemic). To date, many medical societies have announced their intention to collect and analyze data from COVID‐19 patients and some large‐scale prospective data collections are already running, such as the LEOSS registry (Lean European Open Survey on SARS‐CoV‐2 Infected Patients) or the CAPACITYCOVID registry (registry of patients with COVID‐19 including cardiovascular risk and complications). The necessity to mobilize and harmonize basic and applied research worldwide is of utmost importance (Sansonetti, 2020).