Happiest news since the coronavirus outbreak as a cheap and widely available drug can now help save the lives of patients seriously ill with coronavirus. The low-dose steroid treatment named Dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say, BBC and other International media confirmed.
The drug is part of the world's biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.
Dexamethasone cut the risk of death:
It cut the risk of death by a 3rd for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a 5th. Researcher says if the drug had been used to treat patients in the UK from the start of the pandemic, up to 5,000 lives could have been saved easily.
Gift for Poor countries:
Expert saying that this life saving drug is a gift from GOD as it could be of huge benefit in poorer countries with high numbers of Covid-19 patients.
Boris Johnson statement:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a genuine case to celebrate "a remarkable British scientific achievement", adding: "We have taken steps to ensure we have enough supplies, even in the event of a second peak."
Chief Medical Officer for England Prof Chris Whitty said it would save lives around the world.
Research and Results:
In the trial, led by a team from Oxford University, about 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasonedrug and compared with more than 4,000 who were not.
For patients on ventilators, it cut the risk of death from 28% to 40% whereas for patients needing oxygen, it cut the risk of death from 20 to 25%.
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Chief investigator Prof Peter Horby said: "This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly. It's a major breakthrough."
Lead researcher Prof Martin Landray said the findings suggested one life could be saved for every 8 patients on a ventilator, every 20-25 treated with oxygen.
Dexamethasone Treatment Cost:
The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about £5 per patient (23 AED). So essentially it costs £35 (161 AED) to save a life and the good thing is that this is a drug that is globally available.
As per the Analysis by Fergus Walsh the UK Health Correspondent:
The first drug proven to cut deaths from Covid-19 is not some new, expensive medicine but an old, cheap-as-chips steroid. That is something to celebrate because it means patients across the world could benefit immediately.
This is the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far. Significiant reduction in mortality in those requiring oxygen or ventilation from a widely available, safe and well known drug. Many thanks to those who took part and made it happen. It will save lives around the world. https://t.co/zRIaHulHOe— Professor Chris Whitty (@CMO_England) June 16, 2020
Dexamethasone has been used since the early 1960s to treat a wide range of conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Half of all Covid patients who require a ventilator do not survive, so cutting that risk a 3rd by only taking Dexamethasone would have a huge impact.
