Major breakthrough in Corona treatment! Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug

June 16: The low-dose cheap steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus. According to a recent trial data, low-cost, anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone reduces death by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19.

The results, described as a “major breakthrough” by scientists leading the UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY, suggest the drug should immediately become standard care in patients treated in hospital with the pandemic disease, the researchers said. Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor who is co-leading the trial said, “This is a result that shows that if patients who have COVID-19 and are on ventilators or are on oxygen are given dexamethasone, it will save lives, and it will do so at a remarkably low cost.”

Calling it a “groundbreaking development”, the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said, “This is tremendous news today from the Recovery trial showing that dexamethasone is the first drug to reduce mortality from COVID-19. It is particularly exciting as this is an inexpensive widely available medicine.”

The world’s biggest trial included more than 11,500 patients, enrolled from more than 175 hospitals in the UK, said a statement by the University of Oxford. The steroid, which is used to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions, is given either as a tablet or via injection and costs about £5 per patient.

The drug, however, does not seem to help individuals with milder symptoms of novel coronavirus infection. The researchers believe that since the drug is inexpensive, it could be of huge benefit in poorer countries grappling with high numbers of Covid-19 cases.