After seven years of PREPARE it is time to look back. Many ground-breaking research studies, data analyses, reviews and surveys have been performed under the umbrella of the PREPARE and also RECOVER in their research response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to take a look at what we have achieved, and especially what can we learn from it. And finally, we also look ahead by sharing our vision of a sustainable clinical research in Europe through ECRAID, a European-wide initiative with the goal of establishing a single-access clinical research network for infectious diseases.